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The Meaning of by

  • (pref.) In the neighborhood of; near or next to; not far from; close to; along with; as, come and sit by me.
  • (pref.) On; along; in traversing. Compare 5.
  • (pref.) Near to, while passing; hence, from one to the other side of; past; as, to go by a church.
  • (pref.) Used in specifying adjacent dimensions; as, a cabin twenty feet by forty.
  • (pref.) Against.
  • (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.
  • (adv.) Near; in the neighborhood; present; as, there was no person by at the time.
  • (adv.) Passing near; going past; past; beyond; as, the procession has gone by; a bird flew by.
  • (adv.) Aside; as, to lay by; to put by.
  • (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.

Synonyms

aside , away , past , off , forth , out , apart , by dint of , by means of , through , with

Homophones

bae , bi , buy , bye

Rhymes

acidify , adl-tabatabai , ai , akai , alai , alibi , alkali , ally , altai , alumni , alveoli , amplify , apply , awry , aye , bae , bandai , barkai , beatify , beautify , belie , bely , bi , bligh , bly , blye , bonsai , botfly , brunei , brye , buckeye , bugeye , butterfly , buy , bye , bye-bye , cai , calcify , certify , chi , chiengmai , chubais , chugai , clarify , classify , codify , comply , crucify , cry , crye , cspi , cy , dai , dalai , decertify , declassify , decry , defy , deify , demystify , deny , detoxify , die , dignify , disqualify , dissatisfy , diversify , dongmei , drip-dry , dry , drye , dubai , dui , dwi , dye , edify , electrify , exemplify , eye , fae , falsify , fi , firefly , fly , fortify , frei , fry , frye , fye , gadfly , gae , gemini , glorify , goldeneye , good-bye , goodby , goodbye , gratify , guy , hawkeye , hereby , heye , hi , hi-fi , high , horrify , hy , i , identify , imply , indemnify , intensify , isty , iwai , jai , july , justify , kanai , kansai , kauai , kokusai , kwai , lahaie , lai , lanai , lehigh , lie , liquefy , lorelei , lullaby , ly , lye , magnify , magpie , mai , mcfly , mei , mihai , misapply , misidentify , mistry , modify , mollify , molokai , mordecai , mortify , multiply , mummify , my , mystify , nearby , necktie , ngai , nicolae , nigh , nikolai , notify , nuclei , nullify , nye , occupy , ossify , outcry , overbuy , overfly , oversimplify , oversupply , pacify , personify , petrify , phi , phy , pi , pie , pigsty , ply , potpie , preoccupy , pri , private-eye , pry , psi , pty , purify , pye , qualify , quantify , rabbi , ramify , ratify , reclassify , rectify , rely , reply , requalify , retry , reunify , rye , sai , samurai , satisfy , semidry , shai , shanghai , shoofly , shy , sigh , signify , simplify , sinai , sky , sligh , sly , slye , solidify , specify , speechify , spry , spy , standby , stimuli , stratify , stultify , sty , sundai , supply , sy , tai , terrify , testify , thai , thereby , thigh , thy , tie , tokai , try , tsai , ty , tye , typify , unclassify , underlie , underly , unify , untie , uruguay , verify , versailles , vi , vie , vilify , vy , wai , whereby , why , wry , wrye , wye , xuemei , y , zhuhai