make book

English

Etymology

The sense of be confident is semantically related to that of gamble, insofar as a sure bet denotes a situation in which one can be nearly certain of the outcome.

Pronunciation

  • Audio (Australia):(file)

Verb

make book (third-person singular simple present makes book, present participle making book, simple past and past participle made book)

  1. (idiomatic) To gamble, either by placing or taking bets.
    • 1954 August 30, “Into the Stretch”, in Time‎[1], New York, N.Y.: Time Inc., →ISSN, →OCLC:
      In the American League, front-running Cleveland was an odds-on favorite with the men who make book on baseball.
      (Can we archive this URL?)
    • 1962, Stanley Shapiro, Nate Monaster, That Touch of Mink:
      [Connie:] How is Mrs Miller?
      [Mr Miller:] She doesn't understand me.
      [Connie:] I could have made book on that answer.
  2. (idiomatic) To be very confident; to be sure.
    Near-synonym: bet one's bottom dollar
    • 1909, Rex Ellingwood Beach, chapter 25, in The Silver Horde:
      "Oh, you can make book that she didn't start no love-making. She ain't the kind to curl up in a man's ear and whisper."

See also

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