Also,
know like the back of one's hand or
know backwards and forwards. Be extremely familiar with or knowledgeable about; understand perfectly. For example,
I know Greg like a book-I'm sure he'll come, or
I know this town like the back of my hand, or
John knew his part backwards and forwards. The first of these hyperbolic idioms, dating from the early 1800s, has a close cousin in
read like a book, which means "to discern someone's intent," as in
I can read Greg like a book; also see under
open book. The second (
back of hand) dates only from the mid-1900s. Also see
backwards and forwards, def. 2;
inside out, def. 2;
know all the answers.