by

preposition23

1. •
   Near or next to.

   • The mailbox is by the bus stop.
2. •
   used after a verb such as "was made" to name who or what does the action

   • The matter was decided by the chairman.
   • The boat was swamped by the water.
3. •
   Following a noun.

   • There was a call by the unions for a 30% pay rise.
4. •
   Indicates the creator of a work: Existing through the authorship etc. of.

   • There are many well-known plays by William Shakespeare
5. •
   Indicates a means of achieving something: Involving/using the means of.

   • I'd know you anywhere by your gravelly voice.
   • I avoided the guards by moving only when they weren't looking.
6. •
   Not later than (the given time); not later than the end of (the given time interval); before.

   • Be back by ten o'clock!
   • We'll find someone by the end of March.
7. •
   After a given amount of time has elapsed or a given event has occurred.

   • By February, we were all sick of the cold.
   • By the time I realized I had left my phone at home, I was already two blocks from work.
8. •
   Indicates the amount of change, difference or discrepancy

   • Our stock is up by ten percent.
   • We won by six goals to three.
9. •
   Indicates a means of classification or organisation.

   • I sorted the items by category.
   • Table 1 shows details of our employees broken down by sex and age.
10. •
    In the formulae X by X and by Xs, indicates a steady progression, one X after another.

    • We went through the book page by page.
    • We crawled forward by inches.
11. •
    Indicates the person or thing that does or causes something: Through the action or presence of.
12. •
    Used to separate dimensions when describing the size of something.

    • It is easy to invert a 2-by-2 matrix.
    • The room was about 4 foot by 6 foot.
13. •
    From one side of something to the other, passing close by; past.

    • The stream runs by our back door.
    • He ran straight by me.
14. •
    [with the] Acted on in units of the specified size or measure. (Sometimes hyperbolically)

    • sold by the yard; cheaper if bought by the gross
    • While sitting listening to the radio by the hour, she can drink brandy by the bucketful!
15. •
    Per; with or in proportion to each.

    • His health was deteriorating by the day.
    • The pickers are paid by the fortnight by the American bushel.
16. •
    Indicates a referenced source: According to.

    • He cheated by his own admission.
    • By my reckoning, we should be nearly there.
17. •
    Indicates an authority according to which something is done.

    • By the power vested in me, I now pronounce you man and wife.
    • I live by my own code of ethics.
18. •
    Invokes an authority in an oath.

    • By Jove! I think she's got it!
    • By all that is holy, I'll put an end to this.
19. •
    Following an adjective.

    • I was aghast by what I saw.
20. •
    Multiplied by or (chiefly South Asia) divided by.
21. •
    Designates a horse's sire (“male parent”).

    • She's a lovely little filly, by Big Lad, out of Damsel in Distress.
22. •
    At; with; among.

    • Are you eating by Rabbi Fischer? (at the house of)
    • By Chabad, it's different.
23. •
    In a windward direction, sailing near to the direction from which the wind is blowing.

adverb5

1. •
   Along a path which runs past someone or something.

   • I watched the parade as it passed by.
2. •
   To or at a place, as a residence or place of business.

   • I'll stop by on my way home from work.
   • We're right near the lifeguard station. Come by before you leave.
3. •
   In the vicinity, near.

   • There was a shepherd close by.
4. •
   Beyond or past a certain point.

   • I'll somehow manage to get by.
5. •
   Aside, away.

   • The women spent much time after harvest putting jams by for winter and spring.

adjective2

1. •
   Out of the way, off to one side.
2. •
   Subsidiary, incidental.

exclamation1

1. •
   (old-fashioned) Dated form of bye (“goodbye”).

noun1

1. •
   Abbreviation of attribution.