by

1 /baI/ preposition

1 used especially with a passive 1 (2) verb to show the person or thing that does something or makes something happen: I was attacked by a dog. | The building was designed by a famous architect. | We are all alarmed by the rise in violent crime.

2 using or doing a particular thing: You can reserve the tickets by phone. | Send it by airmail. | I know her by sight. (=recognize her face) | by doing sth: She earns her living by selling insurance. | by train/plane/car: We're travelling to London by train.

3 passing through or along a particular place: They came in by the back door. | It's quicker to go by the country route.

4 beside or near something: She stood by the window looking out over the fields. | Jane went and sat by Patrick.

5 if you move or travel by someone or something, you go past them without stopping: He walked by without noticing me. | I go by the Vicarage every day on my way to work.

6 used to show the name of someone who wrote a book, produced a film, wrote a piece of music etc: the `New World Symphony' by Dvorak

7 not later than a particular time date etc: The documents need to be ready by next Friday. | I reckon the film should be over by 9.30.

8 according to a particular rule, method, or way of doing things: You've got to play by the rules. | Profits were $6 million, but by their standards this is low.

9 used to show the amount or degree of something: The price of oil fell by a further $2 a barrel. | I was overcharged by $3. | by far (=by a large amount or degree): Godard's first film was better by far.

10 used to show the part of a piece of equipment or of someone's body that someone takes or holds: He took her by the arm and led her across the road. | She grabbed the hammer by the handle.

11 used when expressing strong feelings or making serious promises: By God, I'll kill that boy when I see him!

12 used between two numbers that you are multiplying or dividing: What's 48 divided by 4?

13 used when giving the measurements of a room, container etc: a room 15 metres by 23 metres

14 used to show a rate or quantity: We're paid by the hour.

15 day by day/bit by bit etc used to show the way in which something happens: Day by day he grew weaker.

16 used to show the situation or period of time during which you do something or something happens: You could ruin your eyes reading by torchlight. | by day/night: a tour of Paris by night

17 used to show the connection between one fact or thing and another: Colette's French by birth. | It's fine by me if you want to go.

18 as a result of an action or situation: by accident: I saw Maureen quite by accident in the supermarket the other day. | by mistake: I managed to delete an afternoon's work on the computer by mistake.

19 if a woman has children by a particular man, that man is the children's father: Ann's got two children by her previous husband.

20 (all) by yourself completely alone: Dave spent Christmas all by himself.

2 adverb

1 if someone or something moves or goes by, they go past: As I was standing on the platform the Liverpool train went whizzing by. | Ten years had gone by since I had last seen Marilyn. | James walked by without even looking in my direction.

2 beside or near someone or something: A crowd of people were standing by waiting for an announcement.

3 put/keep/lay sth by etc to put something somewhere in order to use it in the future: Her mother gave her a dinner service to put by for when she got married.

4 call/stop/go by to go to someone's house in order to visit them for a short time: Why don't you stop by for a drink after work?

5 by and large especially spoken used when talking generally about someone or something: Charities are, by and large, exempt from income tax.

6 by the by spoken used when mentioning something that may be interesting but is not particularly important: By the by, Ian said he might call round tonight.

7 by and by especially literary soon