BY

prep. adv. a.

10 definitions — Webster’s Dictionary (1828)


1.
prep.

In the neighborhood of; near or next to; not far from; close to; along with; as, come and sit by me. By foundation or by shady rivulet He sought them both. Milton.

2.
prep.

On; along; in traversing. Compare 5. Long labors both by sea and land he bore. Dryden. By land, by water, they renew the charge. Pope.

3.
prep.

Near to, while passing; hence, from one to the other side of; past; as, to go by a church.

4.
prep.

Used in specifying adjacent dimensions; as, a cabin twenty feet by forty.

5.
prep.

Against. [Obs.] Tyndale [1. Cor. iv. 4].

6.
prep.

With, as means, way, process, etc.; through means of; with aid of; through; through the act or agency of; as, a city is destroyed by fire; profit is made by commerce; to take by force.

7.
adv.

Near; in the neighborhood; present; as, there was no person by at the time.

8.
adv.

Passing near; going past; past; beyond; as, the procession has gone by; a bird flew by.

9.
adv.

Aside; as, to lay by; to put by.

10.
a.

Out of the common path; aside; -- used in composition, giving the meaning of something aside, secondary, or incidental, or collateral matter, a thing private or avoiding notice; as, by-line, by-place, by-play, by-street. It was formerly more freely used in composition than it is now; as, by-business, by-concernment, by- design, by-interest, etc.


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