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bookseller
**bon·zer** /'bɒnzə ǁ 'bɑːn-/ *adj* *AustrE* *old-fash slang* good; nice; fine: *a bonzer new car*
**boo¹** /buː/ *interj, n pl.* **boos** **1** a shout of disapproval or strong disagreement: *A loud boo came from the back of the hall.* **2** (a word usually shouted very suddenly at someone, often a child, to give them a sudden fright): *Boo! Scared you!* **3** **can't/couldn't say boo to a goose** *infml* to be easily frightened; lack courage
**boo²** *v* [I;T] to express disapproval (of) or strong disagreement (with), especially by shouting 'boo': *The crowd booed (the speaker). | They booed him off the stage. | The audience started booing and hissing when the actor forgot his lines.*
**boob¹** /buːb/ *especially BrE* || **'boo-boo** *especially AmE* — *n infml* a silly mistake
**boob²** *v infml, especially BrE* [I] to make a silly mistake: *I've boobed again.*
**'boob job** *n infml* a SURGICAL operation to increase the size of a woman's breasts. A more formal name for this operation is BREAST enlargement.
**boobs** /buːbz/ *n [P] infml* a woman's breasts
**'boob tube** *n* **1** *infml* a woman's short garment for the upper body made of stretchy material **2** [the] *AmE humor infml* television
**boo-by** /'buːbi/ *also* **boob** *AmE* — *n infml* a foolish person
**'booby hatch** *n slang, especially AmE* for MENTAL HOSPITAL
**booby prize** *n* a prize given (often as a joke) for the worst performance in a competition
**'booby trap** *n* **1** a hidden bomb which explodes when a harmless-looking object is touched **2** any harmless trap used for surprising someone, especially as a joke: *He put a bag of flour on top of the door as a booby trap.* —**booby-trap** *v* [T] -pp-
**boog·er** /'bʊgər/ *n AmE infml* **1** a word used by or about children, to describe someone who has done something bad or annoying: *Come back here, you little booger!* **2** a piece of the soft sticky substance that develops in your nose; BOGEY *BrE*
**boo·gey·man** /'buːgimæn/ *n pl.* **-men** /mən/ → see BOGEY
**boo·gie** /'buːgi/ *v especially AmE* to dance to boogie-woogie music or to ROCK or similar music
**boogie board** *n* a short board similar to a SURFBOARD which people lie on to ride on the waves in the sea —**boogie boarding** *n [U] Sue and I went boogie boarding in Honolulu.*
**boo·gie-woo·gie** /ˌbuːgi 'wuːgi/ *n [U]* a style of BLUES piano playing, with the left hand continuously repeating the same phrase while the right hand provides the tune or MELODY
**boo·hoo** /ˌbuː 'huː/ *interj* (a word meant to be like the sound of loud childish crying) —**boo-hoo** *v* [I]
**book¹** /bʊk/ *n* **1** (a written work in the form of a set of printed pages fastened together inside a cover, as a thing to be read: *She's writing a book on/about her travels in China. | They bought me a book for my birthday. | Have you read that book yet? | This book was first published in 1978. | a history book | a book of poems | Jane Austen's 'Persuasion' is one of the set books for this year's English exam.* **2** a set of sheets of paper fastened together inside a cover, as a thing to be written in: *an exercise book | a rent book* (=in which a record of rent payments is kept) | *an autograph book* **3** any collection of things fastened together, especially one with its own covers: *a book of stamps/tickets/matches | a cheque book* **4** one of the main divisions of a larger written work, such as a long poem or the Bible **5** the words of a light musical play → compare LIBRETTO **6** **according to/by the book** according to the established rules rather than using your own ideas or methods: *It's safer to go by the book/to do everything strictly by the book.* **7** **bring someone to book** to force someone to give an explanation, or to be punished: *He was finally brought to book for fiddling the accounts.* **8** **in one's book** according to your own opinion or way of doing things: *In my book this is not the way to handle it.* **9** **make (a) book on** to offer to receive and pay out money on the results of a competition or a race **10** **one for the books** *AmE infml* an unusual event: *John's cleaned his room — that's one for the books!* **11** **read someone like a book** to be able to understand exactly what someone is thinking or feeling: *A good employer is so consistent you can read him like a book. | I know Bob was upset – I can read him like a book.* → see also BOOKS, CLOSED BOOK, COFFEE-TABLE BOOK, GOOD BOOK, **throw the book at** (THROW¹)
**book²** *v* **1** [I;T(UP)] to arrange in advance to have (something); RESERVE: *to book seats on a plane/a table in a restaurant | I'm afraid these seats are already booked. | You'll have to book (up) well in advance if you want to see that show. | She booked a band to play at the reception. | He was booked on the early flight (=had a seat booked on it) but had to go later because of a problem at the office.* **2** [T] *infml* to enter charges against, especially in the police records: *She was booked on a charge of speeding.* **3** [T] to write the name of (a RUGBY or football player) in a book for breaking the rules: *The referee booked both players.*
**book in** *phr v* **1** [T(= book sbdy. in)] to book a room for (yourself or someone else) at a hotel: *I've booked you in at the Grand Hotel.* **2** [I] to report your arrival at a hotel desk, an airport etc; CHECK IN: *We booked in at 3 o'clock.*
**book sth up** ⇔ **up** *phr v* [T usually pass.] to keep (all the seats, rooms in a hotel, service etc) for people who have made arrangements in advance: *I'm sorry, the hotel is (fully) booked up. | That singer is always booked up for a year ahead.*
**book·a·ble** /'bʊkəbəl/ *adj* that can be booked in advance: *All seats for the show are bookable.*
**book·bind·ing** /'bʊkˌbaɪndɪŋ/ *n [U]* the art of fastening the pages of books together and enclosing them in covers —**-er** *n*
**book·case** /'bʊk-keɪs/ *n* a piece of furniture containing shelves to hold books
**'book club** *n* a club that offers books cheaply to its members
**book·end** /'bʊkend/ *n [usually pl.]* either of a pair of supports to hold up a row of books
**Book·er Prize, the** /'bʊkə praɪz ǁ -kər-/ *n* the former name for the Man Booker Prize
**book·ie** /'bʊki/ *n infml* a BOOKMAKER
**book·ing** /'bʊkɪŋ/ *n [C;U]* **1** a case or the act of making a formal arrangement or promise to give a performance, provide a service etc: *She has bookings for several concerts.* **2** *especially BrE* a case or the act of booking a seat, hotel room etc; RESERVATION: *All bookings must be made by post. | She bought a ticket at the booking office/from the booking clerk.* **3** a case or the act of booking (BOOK): *There were five bookings in the match.*
**book·ish** /'bʊkɪ/ *adj often derog* **1** fond of books and reading; STUDIOUS **2** showing more interest in ideas from books than in practical experience —**-ness** *n [U]*
**book·keep·ing** /'bʊkˌkiːpɪŋ/ *n [U]* the act or skill of keeping the accounts of a business company or other organization —**-er** *n*
**book·let** /'bʊklɪt/ *n* a small book, usually with a paper cover; PAMPHLET: *I picked up a free booklet on tooth care at the dentist's.*
**book·mak·er** /'bʊkˌmeɪkər/ *especially BrE* *also* **bookie** *infml*, **turf accountant** *BrE fml* — *n* a person whose job is to take money (BETS) risked on the results of competitions, especially horse races
**book·mark** /'bʊkmɑːk ǀ -mɑːrk/ *also* **book·mark·er** /'bʊkmɑːkər ǀ -mɑːr-/ *n* something, such as a piece of RIBBON or leather, put between the pages of a book to mark a place in it
**book·mo·bile** /'bʊkmoʊbiːl/ *n AmE* for MOBILE LIBRARY
**Book of Common Prayer, The** a book used in Church of England and Episcopal churches, which contains the words spoken by the priest and by the people in church at weekly services and at weddings, funerals etc
**book·plate** /'bʊkplet/ *n* an often decorative piece of paper stuck in a book to show who owns it
**books** /bʊks/ *n [P]* **1** written records of business accounts, names etc: *Their books show a profit. | He was sacked for cooking the books.* (=stealing money by making changes in the accounts) **2** **in someone's good/bad books** *infml* in favour/disfavour with someone
**book·sell·er** /'bʊkˌselər/ *n* a person who sells books to the public