Definition of 'by'
In addition to the uses shown here, by is used in phrasal verbs such as 'abide by,' 'put by,' and 'stand by.'pronunciation note: The preposition is pronounced (baɪ
). The adverb is pronounced (baɪ
).
1. preposition
If something is done by a person or thing, that person or thing does it.
2. preposition
3. preposition
4. preposition [PREP -ing]
5. preposition
6. preposition [adj/n PREP n]
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
9. preposition
10.
See by yourself
11.
See by oneself
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
1. preposition
Someone or something that is by something else is beside it and close to it.
2. preposition [v PREP n]
3. preposition
COBUILD Advanced English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
1. preposition
If something happens by a particular time, it happens at or before that time.
2. preposition
3. preposition [PREP num]
4. preposition [PREP num]
5. preposition [PREP amount]
6. preposition [PREP the n]
7. preposition [n PREP n]
In addition to the uses shown here, by is used in phrasal verbs such as 'abide by,' 'put by,' and 'stand by.'COBUILD Advanced English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Video: pronunciation of
by
Word Frequency
by 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.
Word Frequency
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
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
Word Frequency
by in British English 2
the internet domain name for
Collins English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Word Frequency
by- in British English
or bye-
Collins English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Word origin
from byExamples 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 over:
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
- 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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