by
∞
1.0
- adposition
- /baɪ/
- He stood by the window, watching the rain fall.
- accompanied by friends
- surrounded by trees
Examples
-
The dog is sitting by the fence, waiting for its owner.
-
She likes to keep her books by her bedside for easy access.
-
What do you call what you were doing by the beach?
-
Do you live by yourself?
-
- I thought I saw something by the piano.
-
Right here by the fireplace.
-
Have you not seen a tire swinging all by itself before?
-
I see what you mean by the plot thickening.
Synonyms
∞
1.0
At a short distance in space or time
510
1.0
At the side of something or someone
287
1.0
Next to someone or something, side by side
Antonyms
Idioms
114
2.0
To do something with your hands, for example writing or making things, instead of with a machine
- Informal
19
7.3
In a very risky situation where failure can happen at any moment
19
7.0
To do whatever is needed to reach a goal, even if the actions are difficult or harmful
- Informal
9
4.4
Decide something about a person or thing by how they look
- Offensive
5
9.9
To have complete power over someone by controlling what they need or fear
Compounds
11
7.0
Blaming someone for bad acts because they are friends with guilty people, without proof
- Offensive
9
8.9
Not reliable and likely to disappear quickly, often for dishonest reasons
- US
7
3.2
Date on food that shows the last day shops should keep it on shelves so it is still fresh
5
3.2
A simple painting kit with numbered areas to fill with set colors, or a predictable way of doing something
- Informal
4
7.4
A very difficult test that shows if someone can do a job under pressure
- UK
3
6.0
An election to fill a public office that becomes empty between general elections
- Formal
1
8.1
A way of governing in which a leader makes decisions without parliament's approval
- Literature
1
6.9
News and social media make people judge someone before the court decides
- Specialized
1
8.0
Animals and other sea life that are caught by accident while people fish for other species
- Literature
1
9.1
News outlets that give quick, shallow reports and often miss important facts
1
7.5
A compass direction that is a little east of southeast at about 124 degrees from north
1
6.1
A legal promise that a person charged with a crime gets a quick, public court hearing by a jury
- Specialized
1
6.7
A compass direction slightly north of northeast, about 34 degrees from east
- Specialized
1
7.5
A compass direction slightly west of northwest, about 292 degrees
- Specialized
1
9.9
Shooting at a suspected enemy position to make them respond and show where they are
- Literature
1
9.9
A way to decide if someone is guilty by making them do dangerous tests and seeing if they survive
- UK
1
5.9
A paved area beside a main road where vehicles stop briefly to rest or in an emergency
- Literature
1
8.1
Announcing scientific results to the public before other scientists check them
- Formal
1
7.9
A court decision for one side when the other side does not appear or reply
1
7.5
A compass direction slightly south of southeast, at 157.5 degrees from north
- Specialized
A compass direction one point east of northeast, halfway to east-northeast
A fixed, simple way of doing creative work that leaves little room for new ideas
- Literature
Announcing official decisions to the public by press release before any internal discussion
Surface Forms
Etymology
By comes from the same old English word bī meaning 'near' or 'at the side', so when something is by something else it is 'next to' it, as you can see in the word 'nearby'.