by the book

phrase

: by following the official rules very strictly

My boss insists on doing everything by the book.

Examples of by the book in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The film is inspired by the book The Most Spectacular Restaurant in the World by Tom Roston. — Matthew Carey, Deadline, 11 Aug. 2026

For Bhairavi Desai, head of the New York Taxi Workers Alliance, unlicensed drivers also represent a threat to the business of those drivers who do everything by the book. — Evan Simko-Bednarski, New York Daily News, 1 Aug. 2026

The post-midterm release will spare Democratic candidates from having to revisit any questions raised by the book during their campaigns to regain control the House and Senate. — Joey Garrison, USA Today, 15 July 2026

But Labor’s Wage and Hour Division investigators found that By the Sea didn’t play by the book with the 117 Jamaican employees brought to Panama City as housekeepers. — David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 9 Apr. 2026

Rhymes for by the book

• kinderhook
• meadowbrook
• overlook
• overtook
• pocketbook
• storybook
• tillamook
• undertook
• betook
• casebook
• chapbook
• checkbook