Noun Verb A2 — Elementary /bʊk/

Book — Definition, Examples & Usage

A written work you read, or an action you take to secure your place — one small word, two everyday meanings.

Quick Definition

Book (noun): a written or printed work consisting of pages bound together, intended to be read — such as a novel, textbook, or reference guide.

Book (verb): to reserve or arrange something in advance, such as a restaurant table, hotel room, flight, or appointment.

What Does Book Mean?

Book is one of the most common words in the English language and appears at A2 level in most vocabulary frameworks. Its noun meaning — a bound set of printed pages — has been central to English since the Old English period. The verb meaning, to make a reservation, developed later and is now equally widespread in everyday British English.

As a noun, book covers everything from a slim children's picture book to a dense academic reference volume. In British English, you might visit a bookshop (American English: bookstore) to browse the latest titles, or borrow from a library. The word also appears in dozens of compound nouns: textbook, notebook, handbook, cookbook.

As a verb, book is the natural choice in British spoken English for making any kind of reservation. Rather than "reserve a table", most British speakers say "book a table". This verb use is so common that the derived noun booking (a reservation) is standard across hospitality, travel, and event industries throughout the UK.

Etymology

The word book comes from Old English bōc, related to Old Norse bók and Gothic bōka. Scholars believe the Proto-Germanic root is connected to the word for beech tree, as early Germanic peoples carved runes into beech-wood tablets. This same root appears in German Buch (book) and Buche (beech tree). The spelling and pronunciation have remained notably stable for over a thousand years.

Example Sentences (by CEFR Level)

Sentence Level Usage note
I have a new book about animals. A2 book as noun — simple present
She booked a table at the restaurant for Friday. B1 book as verb — past simple, common collocation
He always books his train tickets well in advance to get a cheaper fare. B1 book as verb — present simple, adverbial phrase
The autobiography was so compelling that she finished the entire book in a single sitting. B2 book as noun — complex sentence, descriptive
The venue is fully booked throughout the summer season, so enquiries for alternative dates are welcome. C1 booked as adjective — formal register, passive construction

Collocations

Collocation Example
book a table I need to book a table for six people.
book a flight We booked our flights six weeks in advance.
book a hotel Have you booked a hotel for the conference?
read a book She reads a book every fortnight.
reference book A good dictionary is an essential reference book for ESL learners.
address book His address book contained hundreds of contacts.
phone book Before smartphones, everyone used the phone book to find numbers.
exercise book The teacher asked pupils to write the answers in their exercise book.
fully booked Sorry, we are fully booked this weekend.
by the book The inspector insisted on doing everything by the book.

Usage Notes

Noun vs Verb

The noun book is uncountable when referring to books as a concept or medium ('I love reading') but countable when referring to individual volumes: 'two books', 'this book', 'several books'.

The verb book is transitive and takes a direct object: 'book a seat', 'book the venue'. In passive constructions, booked also functions as an adjective: 'The hotel is fully booked.' Note that in American English, reserve is often preferred over book in formal contexts, though book is universally understood.

In British English, booking (noun) refers to a reservation: 'I have a booking at 7 pm.' The phrase make a booking is standard across UK hospitality and travel.

Common Mistakes

Watch Out For

I want to book for a table tonight.

I want to book a table tonight. (book takes a direct object — no preposition needed)

She reserved the book at the library and brought it home.

She borrowed the book from the library and brought it home. (use borrow, not reserve, when taking a library item temporarily)

Can I have a look to your book?

Can I have a look at your book? (correct preposition after look is at)

Related Words

booking (n) booklet (n) bookish (adj) bookshop (n) notebook (n) textbook (n) handbook (n) overbooked (adj) double-book (v)

Practise This Word

Flash Cards Complete the Sentence Vocabulary Quiz Hangman

Frequently Asked Questions about “book”

What does book mean in English?
Book has two main meanings. As a noun, it is a written or printed work with pages bound together — for example, a novel, a textbook, or a reference guide. As a verb, to book means to reserve or arrange something in advance: 'I booked a hotel room for the weekend.' Both meanings are extremely common in everyday British English.
What is the difference between book and reserve?
Book and reserve are close synonyms when used as verbs meaning to arrange something in advance. In British English, book is more conversational and widely used: 'book a table', 'book a flight'. Reserve is slightly more formal and often used in written contexts: 'reserve a seat', 'reserve a room'. Both are correct and widely understood.
How do you use book as a verb?
Use book as a transitive verb followed by a noun: 'She booked a taxi.' or 'We need to book tickets.' You can also use it with indirect objects: 'Can you book me a table for two?' In informal British English, book is the default word for making reservations — more common than reserve in spoken contexts.
What are common collocations with book?
Common noun collocations include: address book, phone book, reference book, colouring book, and exercise book. Common verb collocations include: read a book, write a book, publish a book, borrow a book, and return a book. As a verb, book pairs with: book a table, book a flight, book a hotel, book a ticket, and book an appointment.
What is the plural of book?
The regular plural is books: 'I have three books on my desk.' The verb form book changes to books in the third person singular present: 'She always books early.' The past tense and past participle are both booked: 'They booked the venue last month.' The present participle is booking.
What does by the book mean?
By the book is an idiomatic phrase meaning strictly according to the rules or regulations. For example: 'The officer did everything by the book.' It implies careful, correct, and rule-following behaviour. A related phrase is throw the book at someone, meaning to charge or punish someone as severely as possible.
What is the difference between book and novel?
A book is any written or printed work with pages bound together — it is a broad term that includes novels, textbooks, cookbooks, and picture books. A novel is a specific type of book: a long work of fiction. All novels are books, but not all books are novels. A travel guide, for example, is a book but not a novel.
Can book be used as an adjective?
Book is commonly used as a noun modifier (sometimes called an attributive noun) to describe other nouns: book club, book fair, book shop, book review, book token. In these compounds, book acts like an adjective by describing the following noun. True adjective forms derived from book include bookish (meaning fond of reading) and booked (meaning fully reserved: 'The restaurant is fully booked').
What is the origin of the word book?
Book comes from Old English 'boc', which is related to Old Norse 'bok' and Gothic 'boka'. The root is thought to derive from the Proto-Germanic word for beech tree, as early Germanic peoples carved runes into beech wood tablets. The word has remained remarkably stable across the centuries and is found in all Germanic languages in similar forms.
How can I practise the word book in English?
Try LexFizz's Complete the Sentence exercise to practise book in context, including both its noun and verb uses. The Flash Cards tool is useful for memorising key collocations such as 'book a table' and 'reference book'. You can also practise by noticing how book appears in everyday situations — restaurant reservations, library visits, and travel planning all make heavy use of this word.