Definition of 'by'
pronunciation note: The preposition is pronounced (baɪ
). The adverb is pronounced (baɪ
).In addition to the uses shown below, by is used in phrasal verbs such as 'abide by', 'put by', and 'stand by'.
1. preposition
If something is done by a person or thing, that person or thing does it.
2. preposition
3. preposition
4. preposition [PREP v-ing]
5. preposition
6. preposition
If someone is a particular type of person by nature, by profession, or by birth, they are that type of person because of their nature, their profession, or the family
they were born into.
7. preposition
8. preposition
If you say what someone means by a particular word or expression, you are saying what they intend the word or expression to refer to.
9. preposition
11. preposition
12. preposition
13. preposition
If something happens by a particular time, it happens at or before that time.
14. preposition
15. preposition
230cm divided by 22cm is around 10.45cm.
16. preposition
17. preposition
18. preposition
19. preposition
20.
See by yourself
21.
See by yourself
COBUILD Advanced English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
English Easy Learning GrammarPrepositionsA preposition is one of a small but very common group of words that relate different
items to each other. Most English prepositions have a number of meanings ... Read more
Video: pronunciation of
by
by in British English 1
preposition
3.
via; through
enter by the back door
12.
placed between measurements of the various dimensions of something
a plank fourteen inches by seven
adverb
13.
near
the house is close by
15.
passing a point near something; past
he drove by
16. Scottish
past; over and done with
that's all by now
17. Scottish
aside; behind one
you should put that by for later
Collins English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Word origin
Old English bī; related to Gothic bi, Old High German bī, Sanskrit abhi to, towards
by in British English 2
the internet domain name for
Collins English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
by- in British English
or bye-
Collins English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Word origin
from byby in American English
preposition
2.
a.
in or during the time of
travel by night
b.
not later than
be back by ten o'clock
3.
a.
via; through, along, or over
driving home by the dirt road
b.
past; beyond
to march by the reviewing stand
7.
a.
through the means, work, or operations of
a trip by train, a pact reached by negotiation, made by craftsmen, poems (written) by Poe
10.
c.
in the name of
used in oaths by all that's holy
11.
c.
and in another dimension
two feet by four feet
12.
using (the given number) as multiplier or divisor
adverb
14.
away; aside
we have put money by
15.
close in passing; past
the car sped by
adjective, noun
Idioms:
Webster’s New World College Dictionary, 4th Edition. Copyright © 2010 by
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.
by in American English 1
(bai) (noun plural byes)
preposition
1.
near to or next to
a home by a lake
2.
He came by the highway
She arrived by air
5.
within the extent or period of; during
by day
by night
6.
not later than; at or before
I usually finish work by five o'clock
7.
to the extent or amount of
The new tug is larger than the old one by a great deal
He's younger than his sister by four years
8.
from the opinion, evidence, or authority of
By his own account he was in Chicago at the time
I know him by sight
11.
The book was published by Random House
12.
She read a poem by Emily Dickinson
The phonograph was invented by Thomas Edison
17. (in multiplication)
taken the number of times as that specified by the second number, or multiplier
Multiply 18 by 57
18. (in measuring shapes)
a room 10 feet by 12 feet
19. (in division)
Divide 99 by 33
20.
in terms or amounts of; in measuring units of
Apples are sold by the bushel
I'm paid by the week
21.
begot or born of
Eve had two sons by Adam
23. Nautical (as used in the names of the 16 smallest points on the compass)
He sailed NE by N from Pago Pago
24.
into, at, or to
Come by my office this afternoon
adverb
26.
to and beyond a point near something; past
The car drove by
27.
aside; away
Put your work by for the moment
Over the years, she laid by enough money to retire
28.
over; past
in times gone by
29. See by and by
30. See by and large
31. See by me
adjective Also: bye
33.
secondary, incidental
It was only a by comment
Most material © 2005, 1997, 1991 by Penguin Random House LLC. Modified entries © 2019
by Penguin Random House LLC and HarperCollins Publishers Ltd
by in American English 2
(bai)
interjection
good-bye
By now, come again sometime!
Also: bye Most material © 2005, 1997, 1991 by Penguin Random House LLC. Modified entries © 2019
by Penguin Random House LLC and HarperCollins Publishers Ltd
Word origin
[by shortening]Examples of 'by' in a sentence
by
These examples have been automatically selected and may contain sensitive content. Read more…
Word lists with
by
text messaging, international car registration letters, internet, abbreviations and symbolsTrends of
by
View usage for:
In other languages
by
British English: by
/baɪ/ PREPOSITION
If something is done by a person or thing, that person or thing does it.
Dinner was cooked by the children.
- American English: by /baɪ/
- Arabic: بِواسِطَة
- Brazilian Portuguese: por
- Chinese: 在...旁边
- Croatian: od
- Czech: u
- Danish: af
- Dutch: door
- European Spanish: por autor
- Finnish: kautta
- French: par
- German: bei
- Greek: παρά
- Italian: da
- Japanese: ・・・によって
- Korean: ...곁에서
- Norwegian: ved
- Polish: przez
- European Portuguese: por
- Romanian: de
- Russian: силами
- Latin American Spanish: por mediante
- Swedish: vid
- Thai: โดย
- Turkish: tarafından
- Ukrainian: з
- Vietnamese: bởi
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Source
Definition of by from the Collins English Dictionary
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happy or pleased?
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the of your eye
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a elephant
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Once we've that we will start again.
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