pocketbook
/ˈpɒkɪtbʊk/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈpɑːkɪtbʊk/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈpä-kət-ˌbu̇k/ (ame, mw) · /ˈpɑː.kɪt.bʊk/ (ame, ipa)
pocketbook — noun
- pocketbooksingular
- pocketbooksplural
1. a thin book, often with a soft cover, small enough to slip into a coat or trouse
a thin book, often with a soft cover, small enough to slip into a coat or trouser pocket and read while travelling.
Karim slipped a pocketbook of Rumi's poems into his jacket before the long train ride.
collocation: pocketbook of [topic]
The bookshop near the station sells cheap pocketbooks for travellers.
plural countable use
Adina keeps a small pocketbook of Spanish verbs in her bag for the bus.
My grandfather always carried a pocketbook of birds with him on his walks.
- paperback
more common modern term for the same physical format
- pocket edition
publishers' label for a small-format reprint
- hardback
larger book with a hard cover
文法句型
a pocketbook of [topic]
用法筆記
Mainly used in older or literary contexts; modern speakers more often say 'paperback' or 'pocket edition'.
2. the amount of money a person, family, or country has available to spend — used e
the amount of money a person, family, or country has available to spend — used especially when talking about how rising prices or taxes affect ordinary people.
Higher petrol prices are hitting the pocketbooks of working families across the country.
collocation: hit the pocketbook
Voters in Ohio said the new tax law would hurt their pocketbooks the most.
plural; possessive determiner
Élise warned that the rent increase would stretch her pocketbook to its limit.
Politicians know that any change to grocery prices touches every voter's pocketbook.
The new heating bills are too much for the average pensioner's pocketbook.
- wallet
in the metaphorical 'household budget' sense; less common in this use
- finances
more formal, neutral register
- purse strings
idiomatic; refers to control over spending
文法句型
someone's pocketbook
hit the pocketbook
用法筆記
Almost always used in discussions of prices, taxes, or policy; rarely about a single small purchase. Often appears with verbs like 'hit', 'hurt', 'stretch', or 'touch'.
常見錯誤
3. a bag, usually with a strap or handle, that a woman carries to hold her phone, k
a bag, usually with a strap or handle, that a woman carries to hold her phone, keys, lipstick, and other personal things — what British speakers call a handbag.
Ayesha dug through her pocketbook on the subway platform, looking for her metro card.
collocation: dig through a pocketbook
Grandma always kept butterscotch sweets in the side pocket of her pocketbook.
in one's pocketbook (location)
Adaeze chose a small leather pocketbook to match her shoes for the wedding.
A thief grabbed the old woman's pocketbook on 5th Avenue and ran before anyone shouted.
Please don't leave your pocketbook on the back of the chair in this restaurant.
文法句型
carry a pocketbook
in one's pocketbook
用法筆記
Mostly American English, and somewhat old-fashioned — younger Americans tend to say 'purse' or 'bag'. British English uses 'handbag' instead.
常見錯誤
4. a slim folding case, often made of leather, that a person uses to keep paper mon
a slim folding case, often made of leather, that a person uses to keep paper money, cards, and small documents.
Hugo opened his old leather pocketbook and counted the few notes still inside.
collocation: open one's pocketbook
At the customs desk, Christopher pulled his passport from a worn brown pocketbook.
Amani kept the old letter folded inside her grandfather's pocketbook for years.
The pickpocket on the tram slipped a slim pocketbook out of the tourist's coat.
文法句型
a leather pocketbook
用法筆記
Older usage; today most speakers say 'wallet' for this object. Distinguish from sense 3 (handbag): a pocketbook here is small and flat, designed to go inside a pocket.
pocketbook — adjective
- pocketbookpositive
- more pocketbookcomparative
- most pocketbooksuperlative
1. concerning the everyday cost of living and what ordinary people can afford — use
concerning the everyday cost of living and what ordinary people can afford — used especially of political topics that affect family budgets.
Health insurance is a major pocketbook issue for voters in this county.
collocation: pocketbook issue
The senator focused her campaign on pocketbook concerns like fuel and food prices.
collocation: pocketbook concerns
Voters in small towns care most about pocketbook questions, not foreign policy.
Quan said the new factory rules were a pure pocketbook decision for his family.
- financial
broader; not restricted to household budgets
- economic
more abstract; about the whole economy
- bread-and-butter
idiomatic; everyday-living issues, very similar use
文法句型
pocketbook issue
pocketbook concerns
用法筆記
Used only before a noun (attributive); you cannot say 'this issue is pocketbook'. Common in American political journalism, especially with nouns like 'issue', 'concern', 'question', or 'decision'.