Forms: 1 bócian, 3–4 boke(n, 4–7 booke, 4– book. [OE. bócian, corresp. to OFris. bôkia, ON. bóka: from the sb.: see prec.]
† 1. trans. To grant or assign (land) by charter: see BOOK sb. 1. Obs. (exc. Hist.)
966. in Cod. Dipl., 531. Oswald biscop bocaþ Wihthelme his þeʓne.
1844. Lingard, Anglo-Sax. Ch. (1858), I. App. 374. Ethelwulf, king of Wessex, books the lands of twenty families, not to a subject, but to himself.
1876. Digby, Real Prop., i. 12. Land thus granted was said to be ‘booked’ to the grantee, and was called bocland or bookland.
2. To enter in a book; to record, register.
a. 1225. Ancr. R., 158. Þauh þe engel Gabriel hefde his burde ibocked.
1393. Gower, Conf., I. 3. Some newe thing I shulde boke.
1594. Nashe, Unfort. Trav., 9. I haue done a thousand better iests, if they had been bookt.
1610. Holland, Camden’s Brit., I. 4. The Bardi … thought it not lawfull to write and booke anything.
1710. Lond. Gaz., No. 4677/4. They … saw him [a horse] book’d in the Market Book.
1854. Hooker, Himal. Jrnls., I. x. 247. To seize and book every object worth noticing.
1883. Manch. Exam., 26 Nov., 4/2. Not eager to book fresh orders.
b. fig.
1575. Sir N. Breton, in Farr, S. P. (1845), i. How in your heart you may for euer booke it.
a. 1656. Bp. Hall, Rem. Wks. (1660), 183. The Almighty … books their number for an everlasting remembrance.
3. To enter in a list, to enrol, enlist.
1548. Udall, etc., Erasm. Par. Acts v. 14. Which had not yet … booked themselues as souldiers.
1607. Hieron, Wks., I. 284. Enrouled and booked among Christians.
1612. J. Davies, Why Ireland, &c. (1787), 176. He caused the marchers to book their men.
4. To engage for oneself by payment (a seat or place in a travelling conveyance or in a theater or other place of entertainment). Also absol.
1826. Disraeli, Viv. Grey, III. iv. 99. I will give them orders to book an inside place for the poodle.
1837. Dickens, Pickw., xxxv. Sam Weller booked for them all.
1878. F. Williams, Midl. Railw., 628. When railways were first opened for passenger traffic … the traveller had to give his name … his seat was ‘booked.’
Theatrical Advt. Seats can be booked one month in advance.
b. To enter (the name of a passenger, etc.) for a seat or place; to issue railway tickets to; refl. to obtain a railway ticket for oneself.
1841. Marryat, Poacher, xli. He booked himself for the following day’s coach.
1859. Jephson, Brittany, ii. 8. I booked myself at the Waterloo Station for Jersey.
1884. Gt. West. Railw. Time Table, July, 53. Passengers are booked through from Warwick.
c. To enter and pay for the transmission of (goods, etc.) by any conveyance.
1829. Lamb, in Select. Bernard Barton (1849), 139. The parcel is booked for you this 25th March.
1849. De Quincey, Eng. Mail Coach, Wks. IV. 297. [It was] not in the way-bill and therefore could not have been booked.
1885. Law Times, LXXX. 45/1. His drover … booked them [cattle] to the Nantwich station.
5. transf. To engage (a person) as a guest or the like. colloq. Cf. BOOKED 3.
1872. Proc. Amer. Philol. Soc., 18. It seems singular to the American to hear an Englishman speak of ‘booking’ his friend for dinner.
Mod. I shall book you for that evening.
