Blue Books
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
In England, parliamentary reports and official publications presented by the Crown to both Houses of Parliament. Each volume is in, folio, and is covered with a blue wrapper.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “Blue Books” mean?
In England, parliamentary reports and official publications presented by the Crown to both Houses of Parliament. Each volume is in, folio, and is covered with a blue wrapper.
Is “Blue Books” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.