Red Book
Preserved but no longer current.
A directory relating to the court, the nobility, and the "Upper Ten" generally. The Royal Calendar, published from 1767 to 1893, was known by this name, as also Web- ster's Royal Red Book, a similar work, first issued m 1847.
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 “Red Book” mean?
A directory relating to the court, the nobility, and the "Upper Ten" generally. The Royal Calendar, published from 1767 to 1893, was known by this name, as also Web- ster's Royal Red Book, a similar work, first issued m 1847.
Is “Red Book” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.