# close the book on

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/close-the-book-on
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To stop worrying about or trying to do something about; to ignore.

## Examples

- It is time to close the book on this old argument.
- After years of searching for the lost documents, the team decided to close the book on the investigation.
- Having finally accepted the failure of his ambitious project, he chose to close the book on his past mistakes and move forward.

## Origin

The idiom arises by analogy to the closing of an accounting journal. Once the entries in a ledger are balanced and the book is shut, the record for that period is considered final and the transaction concluded.

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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.