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by
noun
Near or next to something in position; moving past or alongside something; not later than a specified time; indicating the means, method, or agent through which something is accomplished.
Etymology
Origin: Old English
Root: bī
robor- (strength)cerebr/o (brain)bio-, bi- (life)VERB (word)PHOB (fear)bios (life)bov-, bu- (cow, ox)bathy (deep)pub- (sexually mature)ab (from, away, off)bront-, bronto- (thunder)blast- (germ, embryo, bud, cell with nucleus)libr- (book)FAB/FAM (speak)urb- (city)brom- (stench)bronch- (windpipe)brady-, bradys- (slow)orb- (circle)bi-, bin-, bis- (two)lab-, laps- (slide, slip)MOB/MOT/MOV (move)brachi (arm)hab-, -hib-, habit-, -hibit- (have)bulb- (bulbous)BIO (life)bromat-, broma-, bromo- (food)SUB (under)cub- (cube)umbr- (shadow)be (bless)ab-, a-, abs-, au- (away from)bucc- (cheek, mouth, cavity)bar- (weight, pressure)trib- (give, bestow)public- (public)bib- (drink)sub-, suc-, suf-, sug-, sum-, sup-, sur-, sus- (under, beneath, secretly)bas (bottom, base)burs- (pouch, purse)dub- (doubtful)bapt- (dip)be-, beat- (bless)scrib (to write)botan- (plant)bell-, belli- (war)bath- (deep, depth)bell (war)labor- (work)arbit- (judge)BENE (good, well)ambi (both, on both sides)scribo (to write)bac- (rod, rod shaped)bon- (good)liber-, liver- (free)branchi- (gill)bibl- (book)bront (thunder)brachy- (short)ben- (good, well)bov (cow, ox)bromat (food)bi (two)glob- (sphere)SCRIB/SCRIPT (write)ambi-, am-, amb-, ambo-, an- (both, on both sides)prob- (prove, test)fab- (bean)bal-, bel-, bol- (throw)ambul- (to walk)brady (slow)bonus (good)brachi-, brachio- (arm)deb- (owe)ob-, oc-, of-, op- (against)blenn- (slime)rub-, rubi- (red)bore- (north)alb- (dull white)bull- (bubble, flask)turb- (disturb)basi-, bas- (at the bottom)carbon- (coal)arbor (tree)
Example
"She walked by the old church every morning, always arriving at work by nine o'clock."
Usage Notes
By is a versatile preposition with spatial, temporal, and instrumental uses. Spatial: 'by the river' (near/beside). Temporal: 'by noon' (not later than). Instrumental: 'by car' (means of transport). Common error: Don't confuse 'by' with 'buy' in writing. Register: fundamental word used across all contexts from casual to formal speech.