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  What it means

  Literally “from board to board.” This phrase means to read a book thoroughly from the very first page to the very last. It can also be used figuratively to mean knowing a topic or a process perfectly from start to finish.

  Vocabulary

  • deska — board / plank
  • okładka — book cover
  • czytać — to read

  Grammar note

  The preposition 'od' (from) and 'do' (to) both require the genitive case. 'Deski' is the genitive singular form of 'deska'.

  Cultural context

  The "boards" in this idiom refer to the wooden slabs that were used in old bookbinding as covers before cardboard and paper became common. Reading from "board to board" meant reading everything inside those wooden covers.

  Beginner

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