cover to cover
From start finish
Cover to cover means from beginning to end, typically describing how a book or publication is read: I read the novel cover to cover in one sitting.
The phrase evokes the physical act of starting at the front cover and not stopping until reaching the back.
It implies thoroughness and often enthusiasm—you don't read a boring book cover to cover.
- thoroughlyIn complete detail
- completelyTo the fullest extent
- front to backSpanning the full length
- start to finishEntire duration of something
- frontForward-facing side
back · beginning · end · last page · read · finished · entire · whole · spine · pages · binding · bookworm · marathon · binge reading · devour · absorbed · immersed · start
- Reading Termspage turner, read aloud, speed reading, bookworm, well-read
- completenesscomplete, completely, entire, totally, total
- literary idiomscatch-22, red herring, white whale, chapter and verse, by the book
- Book Idiomsby the book, closed book, open book, on the same page, same page
- reading skillsvocabulary, literacy skills, decoding, grammar, fluency
completeness of reading
cover to coverpartially
To an incomplete extent
in part · incompletely · selectively · unfinished · piecemeal
cover, covers, covered, covering, coverlet, covert, covertly, coverage, uncover