Kiss the book means: To kiss a copy of the New Testament, in England, after taking a legal oath.. The word is mostly archaic or historical; you will only encounter it in old texts, period drama, or school history rather than current teen conversation. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than risky behaviour.
kiss the book
(UK, historical) To kiss a copy of the New Testament, in England, after taking a legal oath.
Definitions
UK
#1·Apr 27, 2026UK
(UK, historical) To kiss a copy of the New Testament, in England, after taking a legal oath.
For parents
Kiss the book means: To kiss a copy of the New Testament, in England, after taking a legal oath.. The word is mostly archaic or historical; you will only encounter it in old texts, period drama, or school history rather than current teen conversation. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than risky behaviour.
For ESL learners
kiss the book means: To kiss a copy of the New Testament, in England, after taking a legal oath.. Register: formal, legal English. Standard in its technical domain but rare in everyday talk; gloss with a plain synonym when writing for a general audience. A common learner mistake is using the word in a register it does not fit, or assuming a single global meaning; native speakers immediately notice when slang appears in formal contexts, so always check the surrounding register before producing it yourself.
Cluster: general
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For specific readers
Why is this section here?
Slang is read by different audiences for very different reasons. The For parents view re-explains the term in plain, non-judgemental language so a caregiver can understand what their child means without needing the surrounding subculture. The For English learners view focuses on register (when it's safe to use), formal alternatives, and common mistakes — what a textbook won't teach you.
Used in
UK
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🇬🇧About British & Irish slang slang
UK and Irish slang — Cockney, Scouse, Geordie, Yorkshire, Glaswegian, Brummie, Welsh, West Country, plus Irish English. Centuries of regional dialects feeding into modern British and Irish street talk.
See all British & Irish slang slang on Slangora.
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Other words near "kiss the book" (K)
kisserkiss-me-quickkiss-offkiss of lifekiss someone on the dickkiss someone's asskistbandikistfulkitkit and caboodlekitbagkit check
Browse all slang words starting with K.
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