Learn 10 English Idioms with ‘BOOK’

Summary

In this engVid lesson, Gill introduces various metaphors and idioms related to the word 'book' to enhance English conversation and writing. Key phrases include 'a closed book' for someone secretive, 'an open book' for transparency, 'reading someone like a book' for deep understanding, and 'the oldest trick in the book' for common deception. Gill also covers 'in good/bad books' for favorability, 'doing it by the book' for following rules, 'taking a leaf out of someone's book' for learning from others, and 'judging a book by its cover' for not being deceived by appearances. Lastly, 'cooking the books' refers to dishonest financial practices. The lesson concludes with an invitation to test knowledge through a quiz on the website.

Takeaways

• 📚 'A closed book' metaphorically refers to a person who doesn't share much about their life or thoughts, making them hard to understand.
• 📖 'An open book' is used to describe someone who is very open about their life and activities, allowing others to know a lot about them.
• 🔎 'Read you like a book' indicates knowing someone so well that you can predict their actions or thoughts.
• 📓 'The oldest trick in the book' is a phrase used for a deceitful act that has been used many times before.
• 📈 'In my good books' means someone is liked and thought well of, while 'in my bad books' implies the opposite, due to their actions.
• 📘 'Doing it by the book' means following the rules or guidelines, often in a formal or legal context.
• 📗 'Take a leaf out of your book' suggests learning from someone else's effective methods or behavior and copying them.
• 📔 'You can't judge a book by its cover' is a reminder not to make assumptions based solely on appearances, whether of a book or a person.
• 🚫 'Cooking the books' is a term for dishonest financial practices, such as falsifying records or embezzling funds.
• 📝 The script provides a list of idioms and metaphors using the word 'book', which can be useful in English conversation or writing.
• 📚 The video script is educational, aiming to help viewers understand and use these book-related idioms and metaphors correctly.

Q & A

What is the literal meaning of 'a closed book'?

A closed book refers to a book with its pages not open and covers showing, meaning you can't read what's inside.

What does it mean to say someone's life is a 'closed book'?

Saying someone's life is a 'closed book' means they don't share much about themselves, and others know very little about their personal life.

What is the opposite of 'a closed book'?

The opposite of 'a closed book' is 'an open book', which implies someone who is very open about their life and activities.

What does the phrase 'I can read you like a book' suggest about the relationship between the speaker and the person being addressed?

It suggests that the speaker knows the person very well, understands their thoughts, choices, motivations, and can often predict their actions or words.

What does the phrase 'the oldest trick in the book' imply about the trick being referred to?

It implies that the trick is a well-known and commonly used deceptive tactic, often associated with dishonesty or manipulation.

What does it mean when someone is 'in your good books'?

When someone is 'in your good books', it means you have a positive opinion of them, are friendly towards them, and think well of them.

What is the implication of someone being 'in your bad books'?

If someone is 'in your bad books', it means they have done something to upset or annoy you, leading to a lack of friendliness or desire to interact with them.

What does 'doing it by the book' mean in terms of following rules or guidelines?

Doing something 'by the book' means following the established rules or guidelines for how something should be done, often in a formal or legal context.

What does the phrase 'taking a leaf out of someone's book' mean?

It means to copy or learn from someone's way of doing something, with the intention of applying it in your own life because it seems effective.

What is the metaphorical meaning of 'you can't judge a book by its cover'?

The metaphorical meaning is that one should not form opinions based solely on outward appearances, as these can be deceiving and do not always reflect the true nature or content of a person or thing.

What does 'cooking the books' imply about someone's actions in a financial context?

It implies that someone is dishonestly manipulating financial records or accounts, potentially for personal gain, which could be considered fraudulent activity.