Word.ws English Dictionary

talks like a book

talks like a book is the third-person singular simple present indicative of talk like a book.

Meaning of talk like a book

Verb

talk like a book (third-person singular simple present talks like a book, present participle talking like a book, simple past and past participle talked like a book)

  1. (informal, simile) To talk pedantically, or using excessively difficult or literary words.
    • People ſhould not vvrite as they talk, except in letters (vvhich are but a converſation in vvriting): it is too careleſs. And they neither can nor ought to ſpeak as they vvrite, for this vvould be unnatural. I ſuppose it vvas first intended as a compliment to a perſon to ſay, He talks like a book...1744, [Nicolas-Charles-Joseph] Trublet, “Of the Different Talents for Speaking and Writing”, in [anonymous], transl., Essays upon Several Subjects of Literature and Morality. […], London: […] J....
  2. (informal, simile) To talk precisely and with authority.
    • You cannot conceive, ladies, hovv good a ſchool that tavern vvas to me. It vvas frequented by a great number of learned men, vvho talked like a book concerning the character of a vvorthy man; of the pleaſure and advantage that, in every condition of life, attended the being juſt, good, and...1793 February, [Jean-François] Marmontel, “The Waterman of Besons”, in [anonymous], transl., The Sentimental and Masonic Magazine, volume II, Dublin: […] John Jones, […], →OCLC, page 131

Questions about talks like a book

What is talks like a book the third-person singular simple present indicative of?
Talks like a book is the third-person singular simple present indicative of talk like a book.

Words near talks like a book in the dictionary

  1. talks down to
  2. talks everything
  3. talks fast and loose
  4. talks in circles
  5. talks into
  6. talks like a book
  7. talks like an apothecary
  8. talks nasty
  9. talks out
  10. talks out of
  11. talks out of one's arse

Source and license

Adapted from Wiktionary: talks like a book (page history and authors); talk like a book (page history and authors). Text available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. Word.ws reformatted the entry and added links. Wiktionary data of 2026-09-02.

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