day by day
53
1.6
- idiom
- I mean, we're taking it day by day.
- become day by day
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Watch on YouTubeThey're you know, they're living day by day and they'll kill you over colour.
- They're you know, they're living day by day and they'll kill you over colour.
- But you're moving your life forward day by day, little by little.
- I feel like I am just growing day by day, spiritually, mentally.
- And Lincoln is learning this as he goes day by day, night by night.
- I think she's trying to live day by day.
- Everything that I'm talking about in this video is possible, and day by day it will get easier.
- But again, they were shifting the timing of this sleep day by day.
- You just go on day by day being and dealing with what you have to deal with.
- Know what you're doing, why you're doing it, and how you're doing it, Day by day, moment by moment.
- It's like when you're homeless, you're just living day by day.
- When you go beyond that, you can't predict day by day, year by year because of so much complexity.
- So don't focus so hard on it and just take it day by day.
- It's like you just go hour by hour, day by day, week by week, month by month, year by year.
- Theodore, take it day by day.
- Ultimately, I watched him go through that journey step by step, day by day.
- It's not going to be one week or two weeks and it's day by day.
Examples
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Let's take it day by day... for as long as we can go.
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Now, day by day, he writes every day to his mother.
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It's like you just go hour by hour, day by day, week by week, month by month, year by year.
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So we're just living day by day at the moment, trying to help each other out.
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You have to take it day by day.
Academic text (2009) -
You just go on day by day being and dealing with what you have to deal with.
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But you're moving your life forward day by day, little by little.
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I feel like I am just growing day by day, spiritually, mentally.
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The destroyers had sent them to ruin this world, and day by day they were doing it.
Academic text (2008) -
I'm learning new things day by day as I continue my studies.
Synonyms
228
1.9
Slowly and steadily over time
65
1.8
In a gradual way, doing each part one after another
36
2.3
Gradually in small amounts over time
34
4.1
It happens more and more over time
20
2.7
A little at a time
10
3.7
Move forward slowly in very small steps
7
2.5
Happening or changing every day
1
3.5
Happens slowly, a little at a time
How Gradual
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is directly compositional: repeating 'day' with the preposition 'by' signals 'one day after another' or 'each day', so a learner who knows 'day' and the basic use of 'by' can infer 'gradually, as time passes'. This repetitive construction has clear cross-linguistic parallels (e.g. Spanish 'día a día', French 'jour après jour') and follows standard English patterns, making it immediately comprehensible to a B1 learner.
Etymology
The phrase day by day comes from the simple image of watching time one day at a time, like marking each day on a calendar and seeing small changes build up. So it means 'gradually' or 'with each passing day'.