off book

English

Adjective

off book

1. (theater) No longer needing the script to rehearse.

   After 5 days studying the script, Jane is now off book, and can concentrate on gesture more.

   • 1873, Thomas Wright, Our New Masters, Strahan & Co., page 125:

   "He will glibly parse a sentence ... and repeat the catechism and whole chapters of the Bible 'off book.'"

   • 1993, Doug Moston, Coming to Terms with Acting, ISBN 0896761215, page 74:

   "In all likelihood, the director will leave you alone throughout the rest of the production and focus attention on the guy who isn't off book yet."

   • 2003, Jeffrey Eugenides, Middlesex, Picador, ISBN 0312422156, page 332:

   "'So if Antigone wants to be off book, I think the rest of you should be off book too.'"

2. below the list price
   • 1963, Richard Austin Smith, Corporations in Crisis, Doubleday, page 74:

     "in the winter of 1957-58 prices were 60 percent off book."

Antonyms

• on book

See also

• off-book