in the books

== English == === Pronunciation === === Prepositional phrase === in the books (idiomatic) Finished; concluded; able to be regarded as a matter of record. 1982 Feb. 3, Bob Ryan, "Parish spruces up Celtics, 109-105," Boston Globe p. S-1 (retrieved 18 March 2013): Two Bird swishes and a Johnny Davis three-point air ball later, the victory was in the books.