by — Definition & Meaning

1. pref. In the neighborhood of; near or next to; not far from; close to; along with; as, come and sit by me. Source: opted

2. pref. On; along; in traversing. Compare 5. Source: opted

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

4. pref. Used in specifying adjacent dimensions; as, a cabin twenty feet by forty. Source: opted

5. pref. Against. Source: opted

6. pref. 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. Source: opted

7. adv. Near; in the neighborhood; present; as, there was no person by at the time. Source: opted

8. adv. Passing near; going past; past; beyond; as, the procession has gone by; a bird flew by. Source: opted

9. adv. Aside; as, to lay by; to put by. Source: opted

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. Source: opted

11. adv. so as to pass a given point Source: wordnet

12. adv. in reserve; not for immediate use Source: wordnet

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