From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishbalance the booksbalance the booksto show that the amount of money a business has received is equal to the amount spent → balance
Examples from the Corpus
balance the books• But it is still difficult balancing the books.• Mr Lamont declared the Tories stuck to their election pledges but he faces immense pressure to balance the books.• We are now considering new taxes to balance the books.• The days of balancing the books are over.• Saving seed can help balance the books, but it's not to be undertaken lightly.• Voice over Derby had one more chance to balance the books but Paul Kitson wasted a glorious opportunity by blasting wide.• All supply people dreamed of a way to balance the books once and for all-without all that trading and shuffling.• As treasurer of the R.A.D.D., he once balanced the books, which had a serious deficit, with a handsome donation. 