Dictionary of American idioms. 2013.
throw the book at — (informal) 1. To administer a lengthy and detailed reproof to 2. To punish severely • • • Main Entry: ↑book * * * I informal charge or punish (someone) as severely as possible II … Useful english dictionary
throw the book at sb — INFORMAL ► to punish someone as severely as possible for breaking the law: »The US tax authorities threw the book at the European accountancy group over its tax saving schemes. Main Entry: ↑throw … Financial and business terms
throw the book at — (someone) informal to punish or criticize someone as severely as possible. It was the fifth time Frank had been arrested for drink driving, so the judge threw the book at him … New idioms dictionary
throw the book at — ► throw the book at informal charge or punish (someone) as severely as possible. Main Entry: ↑book … English terms dictionary
throw the book at — to charge with every feasible offence Mainly police jargon, the book being the manual setting out criminal offences: You ll just have to throw the book at me... I don t sell out even to good police officers. (Chandler, 1958) … How not to say what you mean: A dictionary of euphemisms
throw the book at — punish to the maximum, come down hard Drunk drivers deserve the full penalty. Throw the book at them! … English idioms
throw the book at someone — informal phrase to punish someone very severely If a teacher does anything wrong, they throw the book at him. Thesaurus: to punish someonesynonym punishment of being legally killedhyponym Main entry … Useful english dictionary
throw the book at somebody — throw the ˈbook at sb idiom (informal) to punish sb who has committed an offence as severely as possible • ‘Get this man down to the station and throw the book at him!’ yelled Curtis. Main entry: ↑bookidiom … Useful english dictionary
throw the book at someone — If you throw the book at someone, you punish them as severely as possible … The small dictionary of idiomes
throw the book at someone — throw the book at (someone) informal to punish or criticize someone as severely as possible. It was the fifth time Frank had been arrested for drink driving, so the judge threw the book at him … New idioms dictionary
throw the book at someone — tv. [for the police] to charge someone with everything possible; [for a judge] to find someone guilty of everything possible. (As if one were being charged with violating all the laws in a law book.) □ The judge wanted to throw the book at Bruno … Dictionary of American slang and colloquial expressions
