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.