By | Mean of by in English Dictionary

/ˈbaɪ/

• close to or next to (something or someone)
1. She was standing by [=beside] the window.
2. His wife was sitting by him.
3. They have a house by the lake.
• up to and beyond (something or someone)
1. The bus went right by him without stopping.
• at or to (someone's home)
1. Some friends stopped/came by our house for a chat.
2. Why don't you come by my place later?

• when using (a specified word or phrase)
1. What do you mean by “acceptable levels?” [=what levels do you consider acceptable?]
2. 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.]
3. It's hard to know what the author intended by this phrase.
• during the time of (day or night)
1. New York by night [=at night, during the night] is very different from New York by day. [=during the day]
• not later than (a specified time)
1. We need to leave by noon at the latest.
2. They should be here by tomorrow.
3. I don't know where she is. She should have been back by now.
4. By this time next year she hopes to have a new job.
5. She's planning to get married next year, by which time she hopes to have a new job.
• during the time until (a specified time)
1. By 2000 the U.S. had been an independent country for more than 200 years.
• in a way that agrees with or follows (something, such as a rule)
1. They didn't play by the rules.
• in a way that is based on (something)
1. You shouldn't judge other people by (their) appearances.
• according to (something)
1. By my watch it's nearly noon. [=my watch says that it's nearly noon]
• in the opinion of (someone)
1. Whatever you want to do is fine/okay by me. [=I am willing to agree to whatever you want to do]
• on behalf of (someone)
1. He always did right by his children. [=he always did the right things to help his children]
• without others
1. He sat (all) by himself, reading the newspaper.
2. The new law will help, but it can't solve the problem (all) by itself.
3. You shouldn't lift that heavy box (all) by yourself. Let me help you.
• at or to someone's home
1. Some friends stopped/came by for a chat. [=some friends came by our house for a chat]
2. Why don't you come by later?
• close or near
1. He did it when nobody was by. [=(more commonly) around]
2. She lives close by. [=nearby]
• before too long
1. I feel sure that we'll succeed by and by. [=ultimately, in the end]
• in a general way
1. By and large [=generally, for the most part], I like the way things have gone.
• in most cases
1. By and large [=generally, usually] it takes a month for the shipment to arrive.