thereby

Meanings

1. 1
   adv

   by that means or because of that

   The red wine was spilled, thereby ruining the table cloth.

2. 2
   adv

   By it; by that; by that means, or as a consequence of that.

   I enrolled in Old English classes and thereby learned much about Germanic languages.

Etymology

From Middle English therby, from Old English ðǣrbig, equivalent to there + by. Compare the parallel formation of German dabei.