By

bye (archaic for preposition and adverb, not used for abbreviation, preferred for noun and interjection)

From Old English bÄ« ("being near").

Full definition of by

Near or next to.The mailbox is by the bus stop.
At some time before (the given time), or before the end of a given time interval.Be back by ten o'clock!We will send it by the first week of July.
Indicates the actor in a clause with its verb in the passive voice Through the action or presence of.The matter was decided by the chairman.The boat was swamped by the water.He was protected by his body armour.

2011, September 28, Jon Smith, Valencia 1 - 1 Chelsea, Valencia threatened sporadically in the first half with Miguel having a decent effort deflected wide by Ashley Cole, while Jordi Alba's near-post cross was flicked into the sidenetting by Pablo Hernandez.

Indicates the creator of a work Existing through the authorship etc of.There are many well-known plays by William Shakespeare
Indicates the cause of a condition or event Through the action of, caused by, responsibility for; by dint of.

1874, Thomas Hardy, , 2005 Barnes & Noble Classics publication of 1912 Wessex edition, p109:In other directions the fields and sky were so much of one colour by the snow that it was difficult in a hasty glance to tell whereabouts the horizon occurred ...

Indicates a means Involving/using the means of.I avoided the guards by moving only when they weren't looking.
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1945, Neva L. Boyd, Handbook of Recreational Games, 1975 Dover Publications edition, ISBN 0486232042, page 16 http://books.google.com/books?id=12qZwZpIwCIC&pg=PA16&dq=candlelight:Players: Can we get there by candlelight?Gatekeepers: Yes and back again.
1960, Dr. Seuss, :By the light of the moon, / by the light of a star / they walked all night...

Indicates a rule followed Using the rules or logic of.I sorted the items by category.
Indicates the amount of some progression With a change of.Our stock is up by ten percent.
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.
Indicates a referenced source According to.He cheated by his own admission.
Indicates an oath With the authority of.By Jove! I think she's got it!By all that is holy, I'll put an end to this.
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.The bricks used to build the wall measured 10 by 20 by 30 cm.

Along a path which runs by the speaker.I watched as it passed by.
In the vicinity, near.There was a shepherd close by.The shop is hard by the High Street.
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.
Aside, away.The women spent much time after harvest putting jams by for winter and spring.