year-book
(ˈjɪəbʊk)
[Cf. MLG. jârbôk, MDu. jaerboeck (Du. jaarboek), OHG. jârpuoh (G. jahrbuch), etc.]
1. pl. The books of reports of cases in the English law-courts published annually during several periods from the reign of Edward II to that of Henry VIII.
| 1588 Fraunce Lawiers Logike i. xvii. 61 b, Uncoherent cases in yeare-bookes. 1639 Sanderson Serm. (1657) II. ix. 189 The Reports and year-books of our Common Law. 1688 Sir E. Herbert Acc. Auth. Hales's Case 12 Plowden, who..is as little like to be mistaken in the sense of the Year-books as any Reporter we have. 1796 Seward Anecd. IV. 501 [Ld. Mansfield] said, that, when he was young, few persons would confess they had not read a considerable part, at least, of the Year Books. 1824 J. Johnson Typographia I. 431 It has been supposed that Pynson printed above forty year-books. |
2. a. A book published annually and containing information for the year, e.g. in connexion with a society or religious denomination; an annual.
| 1710 Steele Tatler No. 261 ¶4 The following Fragment out of much more which is written in my Year-Book. 1839 Timbs (title) The Year-book of Facts in Science and Art: exhibiting the most important discoveries and improvements of the past year. 1847 (title) The Congregational Year Book, for 1846. 1858 Simmonds Dict. Trade, Year-book, an annual; a book of law cases; a turf register. 1883 (title) The official Year-book of the Church of England. |
b. U.S. An album published annually by the graduating class of a high school or college.
| 1926 B. Manbert (title) Inter-Scholastic Year Book Manual. 1928 A. H. Anderson School-Built Annual 21 Don't think you can get out an annual in a week. A yearbook is a year's job. 1939 D. E. Mitchell Journalism & Life xxx. 413 The yearbook is a more formal and permanent production than a newspaper. 1972 M. Mead Blackberry Winter vii. 83, I did not see Luther again, but he sent me his yearbook... Luther was four years older than I and a senior in college. 1978 S. Brill Teamsters vi. 233 The mob looks at high-school yearbooks and picks a hundred guys who look smart and clean. |
3. A book of information about the various days and seasons of the year, as Hone's Year-Book (1829). Now freq. as one word.