By, prep.
- 1. Through (as the cause, or the remote agent), by the agency of, by means of, by dint of. See with.
- 2. At, on, by way of.
- 3. From, according to.
- 4. Near to, close by, near.
- 5. Past.
- 6. Along, over.
- 7. In the name of, before, in the sight of.
- 8. In proportion to, in the quantity of, per, a.
By, ad. Near.
By and by.
- 1. Presently, soon, before long, in a short time.
- 2. After a while, hereafter, some time hence.
By chance.
- 1. Perhaps, perchance, possibly, haply, peradventure, maybe, it may be, as luck may have it.
- 2. As it happened, as luck would have it, it so happened that, accidentally, it so chanced that.
By degrees. Gradually, step by step, little by little, by little and little.
By dint of. By, by force of, by means of, by the agency of.
By-end, n. By-purpose, private interest, secret purpose, self-interested purpose, clandestine design.
By far. Very much, in a great degree, greatly, exceedingly.
By fits. Irregularly, fitfully, by fits and starts.
Bygone, a. Past, gone by.
By hand. With the hands, by the use of the hands.