by

by ► PREPOSITION 1) through the agency or means of. 2) indicating a quantity or amount, or the size of a margin. 3) expressing multiplication, especially in dimensions. 4) indicating the end of a time period. 5) near to; beside. 6) past and beyond. 7) during. 8) according to.

► ADVERB ▪ so as to go past.

► NOUN (pl. byes) variant spelling of BYE(Cf. ↑bye).

● by and by — Cf. ↑by and by

● by the by (or bye) — Cf. ↑by the bye

● by and large — Cf. ↑by and large

● by oneself — Cf. ↑by oneself

ORIGIN Old English.