1 by
/ˈbaɪ/ /bə/
preposition
1 by
/ˈbaɪ/ /bə/
preposition
Britannica Dictionary definition of BY
1
:
close to or next to (something or someone)
:
near
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She was standing by [=beside] the window.
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His wife was sitting by him.
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They have a house by the lake.
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2
a
:
up to and beyond (something or someone)
:
past
-
The bus went right by him without stopping.
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b
:
at or to (someone's home)
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Some friends stopped/came by our house for a chat.
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Why don't you come by my place later?
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3
a
— used following a passive verb to indicate the person or thing that does something
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The decision was made by the company president. [=the company president made the decision]
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Coal has been replaced by oil. [=oil has replaced coal]
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He was killed by a falling rock. [=a falling rock killed him]
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I was greatly surprised by the result. [=the result surprised me greatly]
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b
— used to indicate the thing that is used to do something
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He opened the door by (using) force. [=he used force to open the door]
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She succeeded by pure determination.
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c
— used to indicate an action that is done for a particular purpose
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You can reset the machine by pressing this button. [=you can press this button to reset the machine]
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He began his speech by thanking the President and ended it by telling a joke.
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4
— used to indicate the person who wrote or created something
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a play (written) by William Shakespeare
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This is a portrait of Gaugin (that was painted) by Van Gogh.
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5
a
— used to indicate the method used to go somewhere, send something, etc.
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Some people came by [=via] train while others came by car.
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He returned by [=on, via] the last train.
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They sent him a message by [=via] e-mail.
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We drove here by the back roads.
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b
— used to indicate the method used to enter or leave a place
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We entered by [=through, via] the front door.
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6
a
— used to indicate the name that is used for someone or something
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The American writer Samuel L. Clemens was known by the name “Mark Twain.”
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Her full name is Elizabeth but she goes by (the nickname) “Lizzie.”
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The Federal Bureau of Investigation is usually referred to by its initials “FBI.”
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b
— used to indicate how someone is spoken to, identified, etc.
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He called her by name. [=he used her name when he spoke to her]
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I know her by sight but not by name. [=I know what she looks like but I don't know her name]
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c
— used to introduce the name of someone or something important as proof that you are speaking the truth
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I swear by [=in the name of] all that's sacred that everything I've said is true.
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— often used in phrases like by God to add emphasis
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He always said he'd retire to Hawaii, and by God, he did it!
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d
:
when using (a specified word or phrase)
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What do you mean by “acceptable levels?” [=what levels do you consider acceptable?]
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She called my theory “interesting,” but I don't know what she meant by that. [=I don't know whether she was being sincere, polite, etc.]
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It's hard to know what the author intended by this phrase.
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7
— used to indicate the part of something or of a person's body that is held, grasped, etc.
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He grasped the shovel by the/its handle. [=he grasped the handle of the shovel]
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She grabbed him by the arm. [=she grabbed his arm]
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He held/took his daughter by the/her hand. [=he held/took his daughter's hand]
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8
a
:
during the time of (day or night)
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New York by night [=at night, during the night] is very different from New York by day. [=during the day]
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b
— used to indicate the kind of light that occurs or is used when something is being looked at, read, etc.
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The landscape looked very different when we saw it by daylight than it had by moonlight.
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She was trying to read by the light of a single candle.
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9
a
:
not later than (a specified time)
:
at, in, on, or before (a specified time)
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We need to leave by noon at the latest.
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They should be here by tomorrow.
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I don't know where she is. She should have been back by now.
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By this time next year she hopes to have a new job.
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She's planning to get married next year, by which time she hopes to have a new job.
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b
:
during the time until (a specified time)
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By 2000 the U.S. had been an independent country for more than 200 years.
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10
a
:
in a way that agrees with or follows (something, such as a rule)
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They didn't play by the rules.
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b
:
in a way that is based on (something)
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You shouldn't judge other people by (their) appearances.
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c
:
according to (something)
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By my watch it's nearly noon. [=my watch says that it's nearly noon]
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11
a
— used to indicate units of measurement or quantity
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The eggs are sold by the dozen.
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She gets paid by the hour.
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They have been making progress by small degrees.
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b
— used to indicate the number that multiplies or divides another number
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multiply 8 by 12
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divide 10 by 4
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c
— used to indicate the numbers of a measurement
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The room measures 15 feet by 20 feet.
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12
— used to indicate an amount, length, etc.
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The horse won the race by a nose.
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She's taller than I am by several inches. [=she's several inches taller than I am]
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The price has been increased by five dollars.
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This one is better by far than that one. [=this one is much better than that one]
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13
— used to indicate someone's job, origin, character, etc.
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She's a lawyer by profession.
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He's French by birth, although he has lived in America for many years.
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I'm an optimist by nature. [=it is my nature to be optimistic]
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14
a
— used in phrases to describe the speed at which something happens or changes
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The work is getting done bit by bit. [=the work is getting done gradually in small amounts]
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He's getting better little by little.
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His health is growing worse day by day. = His health is growing worse by the day. [=his health is growing worse every day]
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The situation is getting more dangerous by the second/minute/hour.
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b
— used in phrases to describe how a series of people or things proceed or are dealt with
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They entered the room two by two. [=two at a time] [=two of them entered the room, then two more entered the room, etc.]
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I solved the problems one by one. [=I solved the first problem, then the second one, etc.]
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15
informal
:
in the opinion of (someone)
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Whatever you want to do is fine/okay by me. [=I am willing to agree to whatever you want to do]
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16
somewhat formal
a
:
on behalf of (someone)
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He always did right by his children. [=he always did the right things to help his children]
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b
— used to indicate the husband or wife who is the parent of someone's child
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He had two daughters by his first wife and a son by his second wife. [=his first wife was the mother of his two daughters and his second wife was the mother of his son]
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She has two children by her first husband.
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by the by
old-fashioned
or
by the bye
— used to introduce a statement that provides added information or that mentions another subject
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I recently met his wife who, by the by [=by the way, incidentally], is a well-known author.
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by yourself
:
without others
:
alone
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He sat (all) by himself, reading the newspaper.
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The new law will help, but it can't solve the problem (all) by itself.
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You shouldn't lift that heavy box (all) by yourself. Let me help you.
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2 by
/ˈbaɪ/
adverb
2 by
/ˈbaɪ/
adverb
Britannica Dictionary definition of BY
1
:
4past
-
The bus went right by without stopping.
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We stood and applauded as the parade went/passed by.
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The last few years have gone by [=have passed] so quickly.
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2
— used with put to describe something that is being kept or saved for a future use
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You should be putting some money by [=aside] for your old age. [=you should be saving some money for your old age]
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3
:
at or to someone's home
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Some friends stopped/came by for a chat. [=some friends came by our house for a chat]
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Why don't you come by later?
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4
:
close or near
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He did it when nobody was by. [=(more commonly) around]
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She lives close by. [=nearby]
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by and by
literary + old-fashioned
:
before too long
:
eventually
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I feel sure that we'll succeed by and by. [=ultimately, in the end]
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by and large
1
:
in a general way
:
in general
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By and large [=generally, for the most part], I like the way things have gone.
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2
:
in most cases
:
in general
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By and large [=generally, usually] it takes a month for the shipment to arrive.
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