# balance the books

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/balance-the-books
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To add up all the debits and credits.

## Examples

- I need to balance the books before the end of the month.
- The accountant spent all afternoon trying to balance the books after the busy holiday season.
- As the treasurer of the small charity, she meticulously balanced the books to ensure every donation was accounted for before the annual audit.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.