The idiom ‘by the book' means ‘do something in strict accordance with the rules or regulations'. The video explains the meaning of the idiom ‘by the book' in English. We explain how to use it with some easy examples for Social and Business English.
When you do things 'by the book', you follow one accepted method. It comes with less risk than 'thinking outside the box', but can often be less rewarding in a professional context. In a social context, this expression is often used in relation to avoiding trouble with the law. Phrases that share a similar meaning include 'to the letter', 'fair and square', and 'follow protocol'.
Further Examples:
Claire has always been a 'by the book' type of person because she is scared of getting into trouble.
The deal went through easily because everything was done by the book.