by

Meanings

1. 1
   prep

   Used to show who or what does or causes something.

   The matter was decided by the chairman.

2. 2
   prep

   Used to show the method or means of doing something.

   We travelled to the city by train.

3. 3
   prep

   Near to or beside something.

   The mailbox is by the bus stop.

4. 4
   prep

   Not later than a particular time.

   Please be back home by ten o'clock.

5. 5
   prep

   Used to show who created a work.

   This is a famous play by William Shakespeare.

Common collocations

• understand by Verb + preposition/particle

From Middle English by, bi, from Old English bī (“by; near; around”), from Proto-West Germanic *bī, from Proto-Germanic *bi (“near; by; around; about”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₁epi. Cognate with West Frisian by (“by; near”), Afrikaans by (“at; by; near”), Saterland Frisian bie (“near; by”), Dutch bij (“near; by”), German Low German bi (“by; near; at”), German bei (“by; near; at”).

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