one for the books
idiom

- an outstanding or unusual achievement or event

- something that is historic, memorable, or remarkable

- something that does not occur very often and has surpassed other, similar efforts or achievements

Cambridge Dictionary / Collins Dictionary / The Grammarist

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PHRASE ORIGIN

In the past, when books and written accounts were the primary means of preserving historical events, any noteworthy occurrence would be recorded for posterity. When something truly exceptional happened, people would say it was “one for the books,” meaning that the event was so noteworthy that it deserved to be recorded in history.

One of the earliest known written instances of the phrase appeared in “The Oakland Tribune” on 25th May 1907, in an article about a baseball game. The author wrote, “It was one for the book and the bugs will talk about it for many a day.”

Today, this expression has broadened to include any event or situation that is remarkable or unforgettable, whether it’s historically significant or not. It’s a colourful and evocative way to emphasize the unique or extraordinary nature of a particular experience, making it a popular phrase in everyday conversation.

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DO YOU KNOW THESE BOOKISH IDIOMS?

1. by the book = to do something strictly according to the rules, regulations, or established procedure.

2. cook the books = to manipulate financial records, usually to hide fraud or to make a company’s financial performance appear better than it is.

3. off the books = an activity or transaction that is unrecorded or unofficial, often to avoid taxes or regulations.

4. bookend = to position something at the beginning and end of a series, event, or time period, often used metaphorically.

5. booked solid = to be completely full or occupied, often referring to a schedule or calendar with no available openings.

6. in someone’s good books = to be in someone’s favour or to be liked by them.

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SYNONYMS

- having great meaning or a lasting effect

abecedarian, all-important, almighty, alpha and omega, apocalyptic, at the center of (the core of, heart of), axiomatic, big-deal (-league, -name, -time), black swan, bottom-line, business-critical, bullseye, cardinal, cat’s meow, chartbuster, coal-and-ice, core, corker, coup de maître, crackerjack, critical, crucial, determinative, determining, doozy, dramatic, earth-shaking (-shattering), epoch-making, epochal, extremely important, far-reaching, fateful, foundational, fundamental (to), game-changing, grand slam, ground-breaking, groundlaying, hallmark moment, humdinger, jim-dandy, landmark, life-and-death, life-changing (-saving), life-or-death, lightbulb moment, litmus test, major-league, mammoth, matter of life-and-death, meat-and-potatoes, mission-critical, momentous, monumental, must-have, name-of-the-game, never to be forgotten, no joke, no laughing matter, not inconsiderable (to be forgotten, to be sneezed at), number one, of great consequence (great import, great moment, high standing), ONE FOR THE BOOKS, out of this world, overriding, overruling, overshadowing, overwhelming, paradigm-shifting, paramount, pivotal, portentous, profound, puissant, quintessential, ripper, royal flush, rudimental, rudimentary, salient, sensation, showstopper, significant, something else (to shout about, to write home about), turn-up for the books, spectacular, strategic, stunner, tectonic, top-level, top-priority, to the max, uppermost, whopping, world-altering (-shaking, -shattering)

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SMUGGLE OWAD into an English conversation, say something like:

“If you could choose one moment in your life that was truly ONE  FOR THE BOOKS, which memory would take the prize for being unforgettable?”

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