in the good books

I

in the good books,
also, in someone’s good books

Meaning

• be in somebody’s favour or good opinion
• a situation in which someone is treated nicely by somebody
• in favour with
• In someone’s good book means to be in someone’s favour, to have their approval.

If you are in somebody’s good books, it means you have done something good that has delighted them, and if you are in their bad books, you have annoyed them, and they are now angry with you.

Example Sentences

1. He always managed to be in the good books of the bosses, surprised one and all.
2. Noah is trying to be in the good books of his manager by working overtime.
3. Mum, I want to be in the good books of my teacher.
4. If you want to get in the boss’s good books, work hard and efficiently.
5. Olivia is in her teacher’s good books because she is an intelligent and hardworking student.

Origin

In fact, this idiom is derived from two ancient terms, black book and out of someone’s books. First of all, both idiomatic expressions came into existence, then a new idiom “in the bad books” has appeared, and later “in the good books” started to be used as its opposite meaning.

Read more about bad books.

About the Author

Elena Jones holds a PhD in Education from Harvard University. She has extensive experience teaching at both the K–12 and university levels, with a particular focus on English as a Second Language. Elena has dedicated her career to advancing educational practices, and she has contributed to numerous educational journals.

Book, Good