by : Idioms & Phrases

Index


abide by

  • verb act in accordance with someone's rules, commands, or wishes
    follow; comply.
    • He complied with my instructions
    • You must comply or else!
    • Follow these simple rules
    • abide by the rules
  • verb show respect towards
    respect; observe; honor; honour.
    • honor your parents!
WordNet

as if by magic

  • adverb in a magical manner
    magically.
    • it disappeared magically
WordNet

bit by bit

  • adverb a little bit at a time
    in stages; bit by bit; piecemeal.
    • the research structure has developed piecemeal
  • adverb in a gradual manner
    gradually; bit by bit.
    • the snake moved gradually toward its victim
WordNet

bit-by-bit

  • adjective satellite one thing at a time
    stepwise; in small stages; bit-by-bit; piecemeal.
WordNet

blow-by-blow

  • adjective satellite providing great detail
    • a blow-by-blow account of the movie
WordNet

Bookkeeping by double entry

  • a mode of bookkeeping in which two entries of every transaction are carried to the ledger, one to the Dr., or left hand, side of one account, and the other to the Cr., or right hand, side of a corresponding account, in order tha the one entry may check the other; sometimes called, from the place of its origin, the Italian method.
Webster 1913

Bookkeeping by single entry

  • the method of keeping books by carrying the record of each transaction to the debit or credit of a single account.
Webster 1913

by a long shot

  • adverb by a great deal
    • he is the best by a long shot
    • his labors haven't ended there--not by a long shot
WordNet

By all means

  • adverb definitely or certainly
    • Visit us by all means
WordNet
  • most assuredly; without fail; certainly.
Webster 1913

by all odds

  • adverb without question and beyond doubt
    decidedly; emphatically; in spades; unquestionably; definitely.
    • it was decidedly too expensive
    • she told him off in spades
    • by all odds they should win
WordNet

By and by

  • adverb at some eventual time in the future
    later.
    • By and by he'll understand
    • I'll see you later
WordNet
  • . (a) Close together (of place). Obs. "Two yonge knightes liggyng [lying] by and by." Chaucer. (b) Immediately; at once. Obs. "When . . . persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended." Matt. xiii. 21. (c) Presently; pretty soon; before long. In this phrase, by seems to be used in the sense of nearness in time, and to be repeated for the sake of emphasis, and thus to be equivalent to "soon, and soon," that is instantly; hence, less emphatically, pretty soon, presently.
Webster 1913

by and large

  • adverb usually; as a rule
    generally; more often than not; mostly.
    • by and large it doesn't rain much here
WordNet

by any means

  • adverb in any way necessary
    by any means.
    • I'll pass this course by hook or by crook
WordNet

by artificial means

  • adverb not according to nature; not by natural means
    artificially; unnaturally.
    • artificially induced conditions
WordNet

by chance

  • adverb through chance, "To sleep, perchance to dream.."
    perchance.
  • adverb by accident
    haply; by chance.
    • betrayed by a word haply overheard
  • adverb without advance planning
    circumstantially; unexpectedly; accidentally.
    • they met accidentally
WordNet

by choice

  • adverb with intention; in an intentional manner
    designedly; advisedly; on purpose; by choice; intentionally; deliberately; purposely.
    • he used that word intentionally
    • I did this by choice
WordNet

by design

  • adverb with intention; in an intentional manner
    designedly; advisedly; on purpose; by choice; intentionally; deliberately; purposely.
    • he used that word intentionally
    • I did this by choice
WordNet

by experimentation

  • adverb in an experimental fashion
    experimentally; through an experiment.
    • this can be experimentally determined
WordNet

by far

  • adverb by a considerable margin
    out and away; far and away.
    • she was by far the smartest student
    • it was far and away the best meal he had ever eaten
WordNet

by fits and starts

  • adverb intermittently
    • he worked on his book by fits and starts
WordNet

by hand

  • adverb without the use of a machine
    • this dress is sewn by hand
WordNet

by heart

  • adverb by committing to memory
    by heart.
    • she knew the poem by heart
WordNet

By hook or by crook

  • adverb in any way necessary
    by any means.
    • I'll pass this course by hook or by crook
WordNet
  • in some way or other; by fair means or foul.
  • one way or other; by any means, direct or indirect. Milton. "In hope her to attain by hook or crook." Spenser.
Webster 1913

by inches

  • adverb by a short distance
    by small degrees; by inches.
    • they moved it by inches
WordNet

By little and little, ∨ Little by little

  • by slow degrees; piecemeal; gradually.
Webster 1913

by luck

  • adverb by accident
    haply; by chance.
    • betrayed by a word haply overheard
WordNet

by machine

  • adverb with the use of a machine
    • the shirt is sewn by machine
WordNet

by memory

  • adverb by committing to memory
    by heart.
    • she knew the poem by heart
WordNet

by nature

  • adverb through inherent nature
    naturally.
    • he was naturally lazy
WordNet

by no means

  • adverb definitely not
    by no means; not by a blame sight.
    • the prize is by no means certain
    • and that isn't all, not by a long sight
WordNet

By one's self

  • with only one's self near; alone; solitary. -
Webster 1913

by right of office

  • adverb by virtue of position
    ex officio.
    • the president sat on the committee ex officio
WordNet

by rights

  • adverb with reason or justice
    properly.
WordNet

by small degrees

  • adverb by a short distance
    by small degrees; by inches.
    • they moved it by inches
WordNet

By the bye

  • adverb introducing a different topic; in point of fact
    by the bye; incidentally; apropos.
    • incidentally, I won't go to the party
WordNet
  • . See under Bye.
Webster 1913

by the day

  • adverb one every day
    per diem.
    • we'll save 100 man-hours per diem
WordNet

By the head

  • (Naut.), having the bows lower than the stern; said of a vessel when her head is lower in the water than her stern. If her stern is lower, she is by the stern.
Webster 1913

By the lee

  • the situation of a vessel, going free, when she has fallen off so much as to bring the wind round her stern, and to take her sails aback on the other side.
Webster 1913

By the lee, To bring by the lee

  • . See under By, and Bring.
Webster 1913

by the piece

  • adverb one piece at a time
    by the piece.
    • she sold the plates by the piece
WordNet

By the run

  • to let go by the run, to let go altogether, instead of slacking off.
Webster 1913

By the way

  • adverb introducing a different topic; in point of fact
    by the bye; incidentally; apropos.
    • incidentally, I won't go to the party
WordNet
  • by the bye; used to introduce an incidental or secondary remark or subject. -
Webster 1913

by trial and error

  • adverb in an empirical manner
    through empirical observation; empirically.
    • this can be empirically tested
WordNet

by word of mouth

  • adverb orally
    viva voce.
    • I heard it viva voce
  • adverb by spoken rather than written means
    orally.
    • these stories were transmitted by word of mouth
WordNet

by-and-by

  • noun an indefinite time in the future
    • he'll get around to it in the sweet by-and-by
WordNet

by-bid

  • verb bid on behalf of someone else
WordNet

by-bidder

By"-bid`der noun
Definitions
  1. One who bids at an auction in behalf of the auctioneer or owner, for the purpose of running up the price of articles. U.S.
Webster 1913

by-blow

  • noun the illegitimate offspring of unmarried parents
    bastard; whoreson; illegitimate; illegitimate child; love child.
WordNet
By"-blow` noun
Definitions
  1. A side or incidental blow; an accidental blow.
    With their by-blows they did split the very stones in pieces. Bunyan.
  2. An illegitimate child; a bastard.
    The Aga speedily . . . brought her [his disgraced slave] to court, together with her pretty by-blow, the present Padre Ottomano. Evelyn.
Webster 1913

by-catch

  • noun unwanted marine creatures that are caught in the nets while fishing for another species
    bycatch.
    • thousands of dolphins and porpoises and whales are killed as part of the by-catch each year
WordNet

by-corner

By"-cor`ner noun
Definitions
  1. A private corner.
    Britain being a by-corner, out of the road of the world. Fuller.
Webster 1913

by-dependence

By"-de*pend`ence noun
Definitions
  1. An appendage; that which depends on something else, or is distinct from the main dependence; an accessory. Shak.
Webster 1913

by-drinking

By"-drink`ing noun
Definitions
  1. A drinking between meals. Obs.
Webster 1913

by-election

  • noun a special election between regular elections
    bye-election.
WordNet
By"-e*lec"tion noun
Definitions
  1. An election held by itself, not at the time of a general election.
Webster 1913

by-end

By"-end` noun
Definitions
  1. Private end or interest; secret purpose; selfish advantage. Written also bye-end.
    "Profit or some other by-end." L'Estrange.
Webster 1913

by-interest

By"-in`ter*est noun
Definitions
  1. Self-interest; private advantage. Atterbury.
Webster 1913

by-law

By"-law` noun
Etymology
Cf.Sw.bylag, D.bylov, Icel.barlög, fr.Sw.& Dan. by town, Icel. bær, byr (fr. bûa to dwell) + the word for law; hence, a law for one town, a special law. Cf.Birlaw and see Law.
Definitions
  1. A local or subordinate law; a private law or regulation made by a corporation for its own government.
    There was likewise a law to restrain the by-laws, or ordinances of corporations. Bacon.
    The law or institution; to which are added two by-laws, as a comment upon the general law. Addison.
  2. A law that is less important than a general law or constitutional provision, and subsidiary to it; a rule relating to a matter of detail; as, civic societies often adopt a constitution and by-laws for the government of their members. In this sense the word has probably been influenced by by, meaning secondary or aside.
Webster 1913

by-line

  • noun a line giving the name of the writer of a story or article
    credit line.
  • noun an auxiliary activity
    sideline; spare-time activity; avocation; pursuit; hobby.
WordNet

by-name

By"-name` noun
Definitions
  1. A nickname. Camden.
Webster 1913

by-pass

By"-pass noun
Definitions
  1. (Mech.) A by-passage, for a pipe, or other channel, to divert circulation from the usual course.
Webster 1913

by-passage

By"-pas`sage noun
Definitions
  1. A passage different from the usual one; a byway.
Webster 1913

by-past

By"-past adjective
Definitions
  1. Past; gone by. "By-past perils." Shak.
Webster 1913

by-place

By"-place` noun
Definitions
  1. A retired or private place.
Webster 1913

by-product

  • noun a secondary and sometimes unexpected consequence
    byproduct.
  • noun a product made during the manufacture of something else
    spin-off; byproduct.
WordNet
By"-prod`uct noun
Definitions
  1. A secondary or additional product; something produced, as in the course of a manufacture, in addition to the principal product.
Webster 1913

by-respect

By"-re*spect` noun
Definitions
  1. Private end or view; by-interest. Obs. Dryden.
Webster 1913

by-room

By"-room` noun
Definitions
  1. A private room or apartment. "Stand in some by-room" Shak.
Webster 1913

by-speech

By"-speech` noun
Definitions
  1. An incidental or casual speech, not directly relating to the point. "To quote by-speeches." Hooker.
Webster 1913

by-spell

By"-spell` noun
Etymology
AS. bigspell.
Definitions
  1. A proverb. Obs.
Webster 1913

by-street

By"-street` noun
Definitions
  1. A separate, private, or obscure street; an out of the way or cross street.
    He seeks by-streets, and saves the expensive coach. Gay.
Webster 1913

by-stroke

By"-stroke` noun
Definitions
  1. An accidental or a slyly given stroke.
Webster 1913

by-turning

By"-turn`ing noun
Definitions
  1. An obscure road; a way turning from the main road. Sir P. Sidney.
Webster 1913

by-view

By"-view` noun
Definitions
  1. A private or selfish view; self-interested aim or purpose.
    No by-views of his own shall mislead him. Atterbury.
Webster 1913

by-walk

By"-walk` noun
Definitions
  1. secluded or private walk.
    He moves afterward in by-walks. Dryden.
Webster 1913

by-wash

By"-wash` noun
Definitions
  1. The outlet from a dam or reservoir; also, a cut to divert the flow of water.
Webster 1913

by-wipe

By"-wipe` noun
Definitions
  1. A secret or side stroke, as of raillery or sarcasm. Milton.
Webster 1913

case-by-case

  • adjective satellite separate and distinct from others of the same kind
    individual; case-by-case.
    • mark the individual pages
    • on a case-by-case basis
WordNet

change by reversal

  • verb change to the contrary
    turn; reverse.
    • The trend was reversed
    • the tides turned against him
    • public opinion turned when it was revealed that the president had an affair with a White House intern
WordNet

Cheek by jowl

  • adverb in close proximity
    • the houses were jumbled together cheek by jowl
WordNet
  • with the cheeks close together; side by side; in close proximity. "I will go with three cheek by jole." Shak. " Sits cheek by jowl."
  • side by side; very intimate.
Webster 1913

closure by compartment

  • noun closure imposed on the debate of specific sections of a bill
    guillotine.
WordNet

Combination by volume

  • (Chem.), the act, process, or ratio by which gaseous elements and compounds unite in definite proportions by volume to form distinct compounds.
Webster 1913

Combination by weight

  • (Chem.), the act, process, or ratio, in which substances unite in proportions by weight, relatively fixed and exact, to form distinct compounds. See Law of definite proportions, under Definite.
Webster 1913

come by

  • verb visit informally and spontaneously
    come by; drop in.
    • We frequently drop by the neighbors' house for a cup of coffee
  • verb obtain, especially accidentally
    come into.
WordNet

create by mental act

  • verb create mentally and abstractly rather than with one's hands
    create mentally.
WordNet

creating by mental acts

  • noun the act of creating something by thinking
WordNet

creating by removal

  • noun the act of creating by removing something
WordNet

day by day

  • adverb gradually and progressively
    daily.
    • his health weakened day by day
WordNet

Day by day, One by one, Piece by piece, etc.

  • each day, each one, each piece, etc., by itself singly or separately; each severally.
Webster 1913

Day by day, ∨ Day after day

  • daily; every day; continually; without intermission of a day. See under By. "Day by day we magnify thee." Book of Common Prayer.
Webster 1913

day-by-day

  • adjective satellite of or belonging to or occurring every day
    day-after-day; daily; day-to-day.
    • daily routine
    • a daily paper
WordNet

Descent by distaff

  • descent on the mother's side.
Webster 1913

do by

  • verb interact in a certain way
    handle; treat.
    • Do right by her
    • Treat him with caution, please
    • Handle the press reporters gently
WordNet

do well by

  • verb treat with respect and consideration
    • children should do well by their parents
WordNet

drive-by killing

  • noun homicide committed by shooting from a moving automobile
WordNet

drive-by shooting

  • noun shooting someone from a car as it is driven past the victim
WordNet

drop by

  • verb visit informally and spontaneously
    come by; drop in.
    • We frequently drop by the neighbors' house for a cup of coffee
WordNet

Drop by drop

  • in small successive quantities; in repeated portions. "Made to taste drop by drop more than the bitterness of death." Burke.
Webster 1913

drop by the wayside

  • verb give up in the face of defeat of lacking hope; admit defeat
    quit; throw in; drop out; throw in the towel; chuck up the sponge; give up; drop by the wayside.
    • In the second round, the challenger gave up
WordNet

east by north

  • noun the compass point that is one point north of due east
    EbN.
WordNet

East by north, East by south

  • according to the notation of the mariner's compass, that point which lies 11 to the north or south, respectively, of the point due east.
Webster 1913

east by south

  • noun the compass point that is one point south of due east
    EbS.
WordNet

Excommunication by inch of candle

  • a form of excommunication in which the offender is allowed time to repent only while a candle burns.
Webster 1913

fall by the wayside

  • verb give up in the face of defeat of lacking hope; admit defeat
    quit; throw in; drop out; throw in the towel; chuck up the sponge; give up; drop by the wayside.
    • In the second round, the challenger gave up
WordNet

Fast by, ∨ Fast beside

  • close or near to; near at hand.
Webster 1913

Fermentation by an unorganized ferment ∨ enzyme

  • . Fermentations of this class are purely chemical reactions, in which the ferment acts as a simple catalytic agent. Of this nature are the decomposition or inversion of cane sugar into levulose and dextrose by boiling with dilute acids, the conversion of starch into dextrin and sugar by similar treatment, the conversion of starch into like products by the action of diastase of malt or ptyalin of saliva, the conversion of albuminous food into peptones and other like products by the action of pepsin-hydrochloric acid of the gastric juice or by the ferment of the pancreatic juice.
Webster 1913

fly by

  • verb pass by while flying
    • An enemy plane flew by
  • verb move by very quickly
    whisk by; fly by.
WordNet

fly-by

  • noun a flight at a low altitude (usually of military aircraft) over spectators on the ground
    flypast; flyover.
WordNet

fly-by-night

  • noun a debtor who flees to avoid paying
  • adjective satellite (of businesses and businessmen) unscrupulous
    shady.
    • a shady operation
  • adjective satellite ephemeral
    • the symphony is no fly-by-night venture
WordNet

For by

  • . See Forby, adv.
Webster 1913

Full and by

  • (Naut.), sailing closehauled, having all the sails full, and lying as near the wind as poesible.
Webster 1913

get by

  • verb come to terms with
    contend; deal; cope; manage; grapple; make out; make do.
    • We got by on just a gallon of gas
    • They made do on half a loaf of bread every day
  • verb pass or move in front of
    • Bride's Biscuit got by the other dogs to win the race
  • verb escape potentially unpleasant consequences; get away with a forbidden action
    get out; escape; get off; get away.
    • She gets away with murder!
    • I couldn't get out from under these responsibilities
WordNet

glide by

  • verb pass by
    elapse; go along; lapse; slip away; go by; glide by; pass; slide by.
    • three years elapsed
WordNet

go by

  • verb pass by
    elapse; go along; lapse; slip away; go by; glide by; pass; slide by.
    • three years elapsed
  • verb move past
    pass by; go by; go past; surpass; pass.
    • A black limousine passed by when she looked out the window
    • He passed his professor in the hall
    • One line of soldiers surpassed the other
  • verb be called; go by a certain name
    go under.
    • She goes by her maiden name again
  • verb be or act in accordance with
    • Go by this rule and you'll be safe
WordNet

go-by

Go"-by` noun
Definitions
  1. A passing without notice; intentional neglect; thrusting away; a shifting off; adieu; as, to give a proposal the go-by.
    Some songs to which we have given the go-by. Prof. Wilson.
Webster 1913

good-by

  • noun a farewell remark
    adieu; adios; so long; cheerio; good-bye; arrivederci; sayonara; auf wiedersehen; goodbye; bye-bye; goodby; bye; good day; au revoir.
    • they said their good-byes
WordNet
Good`-by", Good`-bye" nouninterjection (Also<
  • Good-by
  • Good-bye
)
Etymology
A contraction of God be with ye (God be w&icr; ye, God bw' ye, God bwye).
Definitions
  1. Farewell; a form of address used at parting. See the last Note under By, prep. Shak.
Webster 1913

Growth by apposition

  • (Physiol.), a mode of growth characteristic of non vascular tissues, in which nutritive matter from the blood is transformed on the surface of an organ into solid unorganized substance.
Webster 1913

guilt by association

  • noun the attribution of guilt (without proof) to individuals because the people they associate with are guilty
WordNet

hang by a hair

  • verb depend on a small thing or be at risk
    hang by a hair.
    • His life now hangs by a thread
WordNet

hang by a thread

  • verb depend on a small thing or be at risk
    hang by a hair.
    • His life now hangs by a thread
WordNet

hang-by

Hang"-by` noun
Wordforms
plural Hang-bies
Definitions
  1. A dependent; a hanger-on; -- so called in contempt. B. Jonson.
Webster 1913

Hard by, near by

  • ; close at hand; not far off. "Hard by a cottage chimney smokes." Milton.
Webster 1913

Homicide by misadventure

  • (Law), homicide which occurs when a man, doing a lawful act, without any intention of injury, unfortunately kills another; called also excusable homicide. See Homicide.
Webster 1913

indivisible by

  • adjective satellite cannot be divided without leaving a remainder
    undividable.
WordNet

Initiate tenant by courtesy

  • (Law), said of a husband who becomes such in his wife's estate of inheritance by the birth of a child, but whose estate is not consummated till the death of the wife.
Webster 1913

item-by-item

  • adjective satellite separate and distinct from others of the same kind
    individual; case-by-case.
    • mark the individual pages
    • on a case-by-case basis
WordNet

Jack-by-the-hedge

  • noun European herb that smells like garlic
    sauce-alone; garlic mustard; hedge garlic; Alliaria officinalis.
WordNet
  • (Bot.), a plant of the genus Erysimum (E. alliaria, or Alliaria officinalis), which grows under hedges. It bears a white flower and has a taste not unlike garlic. Called also, in England, sauce-alone. Eng. Cyc.
Webster 1913

judgement by default

  • noun a judgment entered in favor of the plaintiff when the defendant defaults (fails to appear in court)
    default judgment; default judgement; judgement by default.
WordNet

judgment by default

  • noun a judgment entered in favor of the plaintiff when the defendant defaults (fails to appear in court)
    default judgment; default judgement; judgement by default.
WordNet

lay-by

  • noun designated paved area beside a main road where cars can stop temporarily
    rest stop; pull-off; rest area; layby.
WordNet

lead by the nose

  • verb conceal one's true motives from especially by elaborately feigning good intentions so as to gain an end
    play false; snow; hoodwink; pull the wool over someone's eyes; bamboozle.
    • He bamboozled his professors into thinking that he knew the subject well
WordNet

little by little

  • adverb a little bit at a time
    in stages; bit by bit; piecemeal.
    • the research structure has developed piecemeal
  • adverb by a short distance
    by small degrees; by inches.
    • they moved it by inches
WordNet

month by month

  • adverb for an indefinite number of months
    • month by month, the betrayal gnawed at his heart
WordNet

Night by night, Night after night

  • nightly; many nights.
    So help me God, as I have watched the night, Ay, night by night, in studying good for England. Shak.
Webster 1913

north by east

  • noun the compass point that is one point east (clockwise) of due north
    NbE.
WordNet

north by west

  • noun the compass point that is one point west of due north
    NbW.
WordNet

northeast by east

  • noun the compass point that is one point east of northeast
    NEbE.
WordNet

northeast by north

  • noun the compass point that is one point north of northeast
    NEbN.
WordNet

northwest by north

  • noun the compass point that is one point north of northwest
    NWbN.
WordNet

northwest by west

  • noun the compass point that is one point west of northwest
    NWbW.
WordNet

not by a blame sight

  • adverb definitely not
    by no means; not by a blame sight.
    • the prize is by no means certain
    • and that isn't all, not by a long sight
WordNet

not by a long sight

  • adverb definitely not
    by no means; not by a blame sight.
    • the prize is by no means certain
    • and that isn't all, not by a long sight
WordNet

One and one, One by one

  • singly; one at a time; one after another."Raising one by one the suppliant crew." Dryden.
Webster 1913

one by one

  • adverb in single file
    one at a time; one after another.
    • the prisoners came out one by one
  • adverb one piece at a time
    by the piece.
    • she sold the plates by the piece
  • adverb apart from others
    individually; on an individual basis; singly; separately; severally.
    • taken individually, the rooms were, in fact, square
    • the fine points are treated singly
WordNet

pass by

  • verb move past
    pass by; go by; go past; surpass; pass.
    • A black limousine passed by when she looked out the window
    • He passed his professor in the hall
    • One line of soldiers surpassed the other
WordNet

passer-by

  • noun a person who passes by casually or by chance
    passer; passerby.
WordNet
Pass`er-by" noun
Definitions
  1. One who goes by; a passer.
Webster 1913

play it by ear

  • verb decide on one's actions as one goes along, depending on the situation
    • She didn't know what to expect from her new job, so she played it by ear
WordNet

reasoning by elimination

  • noun analysis of a problem into alternative possibilities followed by the systematic rejection of unacceptable alternatives
    elimination.
WordNet

reconnaissance by fire

  • noun a method of reconnaissance in which fire is placed on a suspected enemy position in order to cause the enemy to disclose his presence by moving or returning fire
WordNet

right to speedy and public trial by jury

  • noun a civil right guaranteed by the 6th amendment to the US Constitution
WordNet

run by

  • verb pass by while running
    • We watched children were running by
WordNet

Sale by bulk

  • a sale of goods as they are, without weight or measure.
Webster 1913

Sale by inch of candle

  • an auction in which persons are allowed to bid only till a small piece of candle burns out.
Webster 1913

scrape by

  • verb manage one's existence barely
    scratch along; scrape along; scrape by; squeak by; rub along.
    • I guess I can squeeze by on this lousy salary
WordNet

sell-by date

  • noun a date stamped on perishable produce indicating the date by which it should be sold
WordNet

Side by side

  • adjective satellite nearest in space or position; immediately adjoining without intervening space
    adjacent; next.
    • had adjacent rooms
    • in the next room
    • the person sitting next to me
    • our rooms were side by side
  • adjective satellite closely related or associated
    • a city in which communism and democracy had to live side by side
WordNet
  • close together and abreast; in company or along with.
Webster 1913

sit by

  • verb be inactive or indifferent while something is happening
    sit back.
    • Don't just sit by while your rights are violated!
WordNet

slide by

  • verb pass by
    elapse; go along; lapse; slip away; go by; glide by; pass; slide by.
    • three years elapsed
WordNet

slip by

  • verb pass by
    elapse; go along; lapse; slip away; go by; glide by; pass; slide by.
    • three years elapsed
WordNet

south by east

  • noun the compass point that is one point east of due south
    SbE.
WordNet

south by west

  • noun the compass point that is one point west of due south
    SbW.
WordNet

southeast by east

  • noun the compass point that is one point east of southeast
    SEbE.
WordNet

southeast by south

  • noun the compass point that is one point south of southeast
    SEbS.
WordNet

southwest by south

  • noun the compass point that is one point south of southwest
    SWbS.
WordNet

southwest by west

  • noun the compass point that is one point west of southwest
    SWbW.
WordNet

squeak by

  • verb manage one's existence barely
    scratch along; scrape along; scrape by; squeak by; rub along.
    • I guess I can squeeze by on this lousy salary
  • verb escape
    squeak through.
    • She squeaked by me
WordNet

squeeze by

  • verb manage one's existence barely
    scratch along; scrape along; scrape by; squeak by; rub along.
    • I guess I can squeeze by on this lousy salary
WordNet

Stand by

  • verb not act or do anything
    • He just stood by when the police beat up the demonstrators
  • verb be available or ready for a certain function or service
    stick around; stick about.
  • verb be loyal to
    stand by; stick; adhere.
    • She stood by her husband in times of trouble
    • The friends stuck together through the war
WordNet
  • (Naut.), a preparatory order, equivalent to Be ready.
Webster 1913

stand-by

Stand"-by` noun
Definitions
  1. One who, or that which, stands by one in need; something upon which one relies for constant use or in an emergency.
Webster 1913

stander-by

Stand"er-by` noun
Definitions
  1. One who stands near; one who is present; a bystander.
Webster 1913

step by step

  • adverb in a gradual manner
    gradually; bit by bit.
    • the snake moved gradually toward its victim
  • adverb proceeding in steps
    stepwise.
    • the voltage was increased stepwise
WordNet

step-by-step

  • adjective satellite one thing at a time
    stepwise; in small stages; bit-by-bit; piecemeal.
WordNet

stick by

  • verb be loyal to
    stand by; stick; adhere.
    • She stood by her husband in times of trouble
    • The friends stuck together through the war
WordNet

take the bull by the horns

  • verb face a difficulty and grapple with it without avoiding it
WordNet

take time by the forelock

  • verb act quickly and decisively; not let slip an opportunity
WordNet

Tenure by fee alms

  • . (Law) See Frankalmoigne.
Webster 1913

Tenure by free alms

  • . See Frankalmoign.
Webster 1913

Title by occupancy

  • (Law), a right of property acquired by taking the first possession of a thing, or possession of a thing which belonged to nobody, and appropriating it.
Webster 1913

To abide by

  • . (a) To stand to; to adhere; to maintain.
    The poor fellow was obstinate enough to abide by what he said at first. Fielding.
    (b) To acquiesce; to conform to; as, to abide by a decision or an award.
Webster 1913

To bring by the lee

  • (Naut.), to incline so rapidly to leeward of the course, when a ship sails large, as to bring the lee side suddenly to the windward, any by laying the sails aback, expose her to danger of upsetting.
Webster 1913

To bring up by hand

  • to feed (an infant) without suckling it.
Webster 1913

To cast by

  • to reject; to dismiss or discard; to throw away.
Webster 1913

To come by

  • . (a) To obtain, gain, acquire. "Examine how you came by all your state." Dryden. (b) To pass near or by way of.
  • to get possession of; to obtain.
Webster 1913

To come honestly by

  • . (a) To get honestly. (b) A circumlocution for to inherit; as, to come honestly by a feature, a mental trait, a peculiarity.
Webster 1913

To come off by

  • to suffer . Obs. "To come off by the worst." Calamy.
Webster 1913

To course by bell, book, and candle

  • . See under Bell.
Webster 1913

To curse by bell, book, and candle

  • a solemn form of excommunication used in the Roman Catholic church, the bell being tolled, the book of offices for the purpose being used, and three candles being extinguished with certain ceremonies. Nares.
Webster 1913

To curse by bell, book and candle

  • . See under Bell.
Webster 1913

To curse by bell, book, and candle

  • . See under Bell.
Webster 1913

To deal by

  • to treat, either well or ill; as, to deal well by servants. "Such an one deals not fairly by his own mind." Locke.
Webster 1913

To do by

  • to treat, to behave toward.
Webster 1913

To get by heart

  • to commit to memory.
Webster 1913

To go by

  • to pass away unnoticed; to omit.
Webster 1913

To go by the board

  • to suffer complete destruction or overthrow.
  • (Naut.), to fall or be carried overboard; as, the mast went by the board.
Webster 1913

To hang by the eyelids

  • . (a) To hang by a very slight hold or tenure. (b) To be in an unfinished condition; to be left incomplete.
Webster 1913

To heal by the first intention

  • (Surg.), to cicatrize, as a wound, without suppuration.
Webster 1913

To heal by the second intention

  • (Surg.), to unite after suppuration.
Webster 1913

To hold by the button

  • to detain in conversation to weariness; to bore; to buttonhole.
Webster 1913

To lay by

  • . (a) To save. (b) To discard .
    Let brave spirits . . . not be laid by. Bacon.
Webster 1913

To lay by the heels

  • to fetter; to shackle; to imprison. Shak. Addison.
  • to put in the stocks. Shak.
Webster 1913

To lead by the nose

  • to lead at pleasure, or to cause to follow submissively; to lead blindly, as a person leads a beast. Shak.
Webster 1913

To learn by heart

  • . See By heart, under Heart.
Webster 1913

To learn by rote

  • to memorize by repetition without exercise of the understanding.
Webster 1913

To let go by the run

  • (Naut.), to loosen and let run freely, as lines; to let fall without restraint, as a sail.
Webster 1913

To lie by

  • . (a) To remain with; to be at hand; as, he has the manuscript lying by him . (b) To rest; to intermit labor; as, we lay by during the heat of the day.
Webster 1913

To pass by

  • to go near and beyond a certain person or place; as, he passed by as we stood there.
  • . (a) To disregard; to neglect . (b) To excuse; to spare; to overlook.
Webster 1913

To put by

  • . (a) To turn, set, or thrust, aside. "Smiling put the question by." Tennyson. (b) To lay aside; to keep; to sore up; as, to put by money.
Webster 1913

To set by

  • . (a) To set apart or on one side; to reject. (b) To attach the value of (anything) to . "I set not a straw by thy dreamings." Chaucer.
  • to value, to esteem.
Webster 1913

To set by the compass

  • to observe and note the bearing or situation of by the compass.
Webster 1913

To set light by

  • to undervalue; to slight; to treat as of no importance; to despise.
Webster 1913

To set much, ∨ little, by

  • to care much, or little, for.
Webster 1913

To set store by

  • to consider valuable.
  • to value greatly; to have a high appreciation of.
Webster 1913

To speak by the book

  • to speak with minute exactness.
Webster 1913

To speak by the card

  • to speak from information and definitely, not by guess as in telling a ship's bearing by the compass card.
Webster 1913

To stand by

  • . (a) To be near; to be a spectator; to be present . (b) To be aside; to be aside with disregard .
    "In the interim [we] let the commands stand by neglected." Dr. H. More.
    (c) To maintain; to defend; to support; not to desert; as, to stand by one's principles or party. (d) To rest on for support; to be supported by . Whitgift.
  • to aid, to support.
Webster 1913

To stick by

  • . (a) To adhere closely to; to be firm in supporting . "We are your only friends; stick by us, and we will stick by you." Davenant. (b) To be troublesome by adhering. "I am satisfied to trifle away my time, rather than let it stick by me." Pope.
Webster 1913

To swear by

  • to place great confidence in a person or thing; to trust implicitly as an authority. "I simply meant to ask if you are one of those who swear by Lord Verulam." Miss Edgeworth.
Webster 1913

To take time, ∨ occasion, by the forelock

  • to make prompt use of anything; not to let slip an opportunity.
Webster 1913

To take the bull by the horns

  • to grapple with a difficulty instead of avoiding it.
Webster 1913

To throw by

  • to lay aside; to discard; to neglect as useless; as, to throw by a garment.
Webster 1913

To travel by dak

  • to travel by relays of palanquines or other carriage, as fast as the post along a road.
Webster 1913

To walk by faith

  • (Script.), to live in the firm belief of the gospel and its promises, and to rely on Christ for salvation. 2 Cor. v. 7.
Webster 1913

travel by

  • verb move past
    pass by; go by; go past; surpass; pass.
    • A black limousine passed by when she looked out the window
    • He passed his professor in the hall
    • One line of soldiers surpassed the other
WordNet

Trial by certificate

  • a trial which the testimony of the person certifying is the only proper criterion of the point in dispute; as, when the issue is whether a person was absent in the army, this is tried by the certificate of the proper officer in writing, under his seal.
Webster 1913

Trial by duel

  • (Old Law), a combat between two persons for proving a cause; trial by battel.
Webster 1913

Trial by inspection

  • (O. Eng. Law), a mode of trial in which the case was settled by the individual observation and decision of the judge upon the testimony of his own senses, without the intervention of a jury.
Webster 1913

trial by ordeal

  • noun a primitive method of determining a person's guilt or innocence by subjecting the accused person to dangerous or painful tests believed to be under divine control; escape was usually taken as a sign of innocence
    ordeal.
WordNet

Trial by record

  • a trial which is had when a matter of record is pleaded, and the opposite party pleads that there is no such record. In this case the trial is by inspection of the record itself, no other evidence being admissible. Blackstone.
Webster 1913

two-by-four

  • noun a timber measuring (slightly under) 2 inches by 4 inches in cross section
WordNet

Union by the first, ∨ second, intention

  • . (Surg.) See To heal by the first, ∨ second, intention, under Intention.
Webster 1913

week by week

  • adverb weekly
    • week by week, the betrayal gnawed at his heart
WordNet

west by north

  • noun the compass point that is one point north of due west
    WbN.
WordNet

West by north, West by south

  • according to the notation of the mariner's compass, that point which lies 11¼° to the north or south, respectively, of the point due west.
Webster 1913

west by south

  • noun the compass point that is one point south of due west
    WbS.
WordNet

whisk by

  • verb move by very quickly
    whisk by; fly by.
WordNet

zip by

  • verb move by very quickly
    whisk by; fly by.
WordNet