[OE. bí (biʓ) accented; bĭ, be unaccented, = OFris., OS., MDu., bî, be, (Du. bij, be-), OHG. bî, bi, bĭ- (MHG. bî, be-, Ger. bei, be-), Goth. bi, bi- ‘about, by’:—OTeut. *bi, prob. cognate with L. am-bi- prefix, Gr. ἀμφί, prep. and prefix ‘about.’ (For the disappearance of am- in Teut., cf. OTeut. bo-, with L. am-bo-, Gr. ἀμ-φο- both.) Originally an adverbial particle of place; when prefixed to a verb it generally coalesced with the latter, and was treated as a prefix; when construed with substantives in the dative or accusative, according as the relation was that of being near, or moving near to), it became, like other adverbs, a preposition. Cf. the series: ‘þæt folc bí stód (bi-stód),’ ‘þæt folc him bí stod (him bi-stód),’ ‘þæt folc stód him bí,’ ‘the folk stood by him,’ and the mod.English, ‘to stand by, stand by him, be a bystander.’
The single form bi of OTeut. was subsequently, under the influence of the stress, differentiated into the strong or accented bî, bī (by, bij, bei), and the weak or stressless bĭ, later bĕ. The strong form was used for the adverb, the accented prefix of nouns, and a stressed preposition; the weak form for the stressless prefix of verbs, and a stressless preposition. The influence of levelling, however, tended at length to make bî (by, etc.) the separate form in all cases, and to leave be- as the weak prefix; thus, while in OE. the prep. was both be and bi, in ME. it was usually written bi, by, and modern Eng. makes the preposition, like the adverb, by, in all positions and senses, and has be- only as a stressless prefix. The same is true of mod.Ger. bei, be-, and Du. bij, be-. But in pronunciation there was a weak and a strong form in ME. (cf. forms like be-sides, be-times, bum troth, bum Lady, byrlady), as is still usual in the dialects. In modern Sc. bĕ is the ordinary form of the preposition unaccented, or in a weakened sense, as in ‘sit be the fire,’ ‘written be a clerk,’ ‘ane be ane,’ by the form of the adverb and strong preposition, as in ‘stand by,’ ‘to pass by a place be the railway.’ This use of be as preposition has been uniform in the northern dialect since the earliest preserved ME. specimens.]
A. prep. Forms: 1–2 be, 1–5 bi, 1 bí (biʓ), 3– by, (4 bie, 5 bye, north. 3– be). (Formerly often placed after the governed word, which may still be done in verse).
General scheme of signification. I. Of position in space: (1) Position or action near, including notions of comparison by juxtaposition; (2) Direction and vague localization. II. Of motion in space: (1) Motion alongside, along, or over a course; (2) Motion up to; (3) Motion alongside and beyond, including notions of distance to reach, and of excess, short-coming, or inferiority. III. Of time. IV. Of mental or ideal proximity. V. Of medium, means, instrumentality, agency. VI. Of circumstance, condition, manner, cause. VII. In phrases.
I. Of position in space.
* Of position or action near or adjacent to.
1. At the side or edge of; in the vicinity of; near, close to, beside.
898. O. E. Chron., an. 894, § 2. On Defna scire be þære norþ sæ.
971. Blickl. Hom., 15. Þa sæt þær sum blind þearfa be ðon weʓe.
c. 1000. Whale (poem), 18. Ceolas stondað bi staðe fæste.
1160. Hatton G., Matt. xiii. 40. Hyo … sæten be þam strande.
c. 1200. Ormin, 3340. Þat engel … stod hemm bi.
c. 1330. Assump. Virg., 368. To kepe þee & by þee by [? be thee by, or by thee be].
1375. Barbour, Bruce, VI. 667. The Kyng lukyt hym by.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, 11569. To be … laid by hir legis, þat the lond aght.
c. 1485. Digby Myst. (1882), IV. 658. Com sit me bye.
1513. Douglas, Æneis, IX. ix. 138. Hys scheild syne by hym lais.
1682. Wheler, Journ. Greece, I. 4. Hard by this Island … is Ruigna.
1764. Reid, Inquiry, ii. § 10. 174. The clock may strike by us without being heard.
1832. W. Irving, Alhambra, II. 125. A sword by his side.
1860. Dickens, Uncomm. Trav., xx. Down by the Docks they ‘board seamen’ at the eating houses.
1881. Saintsbury, Dryden, 179. In Poets’ Corner, where he has been buried by Chaucer and Cowley.
b. In names of places, introducing the name of a place better known, or of a natural feature, which serves as a distinction, as in Bromley-by-Bow, Stoke-by-Nayland, St. Stephen’s-by-Saltash, Stanton-by-Bridge, St. Leonard’s-by-Sea. Also in postal addresses of subordinate offices, where by introduces the name of the chief office, as Coniston by Ambleside, and the like.
c. after such verbs as abide, stick, stand, q.v.
1508. Fisher, Wks., I. 221. His commaundement must nedes be … abyden by.
1736. Cibber, School-Boy, II. i. You’ll stand by me upon Occasion.
1742. H. Walpole, Corr. (1857), I. 193. They have given Mrs. Pulteney an admirable name and one that will stick by her.
1818. Moore, Fudge Fam. Paris, vi. 4. We Fudges stand by one another.
1865. Carlyle, Fredk. Gt. (1873), V. 271. Let us stick by our excerpting.
1885. Sir W. Brett, in Law Rep., 15 Queen’s B. Div., 189. He was willing to abide by the event of such a trial.
† d. By the sight of, by view of: under the supervision of. Obs.
a. 1500. trans. Magna Charta, in Arnolde, Chron. (1811), 217. Be the sight of holy chirch, his goodis shalbe destribute.
1601. F. Tate, Househ. Ord. Edw. II., § 15. 13. Serve the household bi view of the same clark.
2. In forms of swearing or adjuration.
Here bi is the original prep. in Teutonic (Goth., OHG., OS.), and must have had a local sense, ‘in presence of,’ or perhaps ‘in touch of’ some sacred object: in ON. where bi was entirely lost, at appears, and must have been local. But in OE. literature the prep. was ordinarily þurh, perhaps after L. per; though be occurs in one place in the Rushw. Gloss. and may represent native usage. It is thus not certain how far the ME. use of by was native, or how far it was a translation of F. par, of instrumentality. To modern apprehension there is apparently no notion of place, but one approaching that of instrumentality or medium. See SWEAR. Cf. BEFORE 6.
c. 975. Rushw. Gl., Matt. xxiii. 22. Seþe sweraþ be heofune swerat be sedle godes, and in ðæm seþe siteþ on him.
c. 1205. Lay., 3447. Heo swor … bi al heuenliche main.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 7934. Bi godd o-liue he suor his ath.
c. 1435. Torr. Portugal, 52. Tho he sware be hevyn kyng, Ther wase told hym a wondyr thyng.
1586. Warner, Alb. Eng., I. ii. 5. Sworne-by Stix and wreakfull Mars at periuries repine.
1611. Bible, Matt. v. 36. Neither shalt thou sweare by thy head.
1751. Jortin, Serm. (1771), V. iii. 56. They took up a custom of swearing not by the Lord, but by other things.
1875. Jowett, Plato (ed. 2), I. 354. And I swear to you Athenians, by the dog I swear!
1884. St. James’s Gaz., 20 June, 6/1. The farmers … swear ‘by’r Leddie’ and ‘by Jings.’
b. So in ellipt. phrases, By God, by our Lady, by my life, etc., without mention of the verb swear.
1297. R. Glouc., 25. Þou ne schalt (bi hym þat made me) of scapie so lyȝte.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 13593. ‘A prophet,’ said he, ‘be mi lai.’
a. 1330. Otuel, 476. Bisengeme [= By Saint James] ihc habbe i-fouȝt Otuwel.
1393. Langl., P. Pl., C. IV. 285. By Cryst, at my knowynge, Mede ys worthy, me þynkeþ, þe maistrye to haue.
c. 1440. Generydes, 2445. I take hir for my owen, sir, be the rode.
1519. Interl. Elem., in Hazl., Dodsley, I. 33. Of all meats in the world that be, By this light, I love best drink.
1653. Urquhart, Rabelais, I. xlii. By’s death, I would plume them.
1672. Davenant, Siege (1673), 69. By this Light, you eat nimbly.
1841–4. Emerson, Ess., Poet, Wks. (Bohn), I. 170. By God, it is in me, and must go forth of me.
1875. Jowett, Plato (ed. 2), I. 33. By the dog of Egypt, I said, there I agree with you.
3. In the presence of (obs.); at the house of (obs.); beside, with, in possession of, about (a person).
a. 1300. Fragm. Pop. Sc. (Wright), 134. Whan a man is an urthe ded, and his soule bi God.
1509. Hawes, Past. Pleas., XII. ii. Accordynge as by hym is audyence.
1535. Coverdale, Acts ix. 43. He taried … at Joppa by one Simon which was a tanner.
1541. Barnes, Wks. (1573), 347/2. We haue an aduocate by the father, Christ Iesus.
1661. Boyle, Scept. Chem., I. (1680), 73. What I have yet lying by me of that anomalous Salt.
1712. Henley, Spect., No. 396, ¶ 1. I have kept it [a letter] by me some Months.
1800. Coleridge, Wallenstein, I. viii. 17. This plot he has long had in writing by him From the emperor.
† b. In the writings of, in (a specified passage).
c. 1460. Towneley Myst., 145 (Mätz.). We rede thus by I say.
1579. Tomson, Calvin’s Serm. Tim., 15/2. S. Paules mind is by this place, that no man take vppon him to teach otherwise then he taught.
† c. With, having about one. Obs.
a. 1225. Ancren R., 420. Ȝif ȝe muwen beon wimpel-leas, beoð bi warme keppen.
4. By oneself (himself, themselves, etc.): in one’s own company, to the exclusion of any one else; hence, apart from others, without companion; alone, singly, in isolation.
c. 1200. Ormin, 821. Sone summ he cuþe ben Himm ane bi himm selfenn.
1297. R. Glouc., 104. Þo heo were al bi hem selue … He slow þe kyng.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 12834. He fand his cosin Ion, In wildernes bi him allan.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 35. By thy selfe, scorsum.
1559. Bp. Cox, in Strype, Ann. Ref., I. vi. 99. Weigh this matter by your self.
1611. Shaks., Cymb., III. i. 13. Britaine’s a world By it selfe.
1711. Addison, Spect., No. 26, ¶ 1. I very often walk by myself in Westminster Abbey.
1712. Steele, ibid., No. 302, ¶ 11. My husband and I were sitting all alone by our selves.
1813. Jane Austen, Pride & Prej. (1846), 301. We may as well leave them by themselves.
1884. G. Denman, Law Reports, 29 Chanc. Div., 467. Look at each statement by itself without regard to the other statements.
b. This blends with other senses (esp. 33) in By oneself: by one’s own power, without assistance, independently; of one’s own motion or authority, spontaneously.
a. 1000. Ags. Gosp., John vii. 17. Hwæðer þe ic be me sylfum spece.
1393. Langl., P. Pl., C. XX. 140. The paume … haþ power by hym-self, Oþer-wise þan þe wrythen fust.
c. 1400. Maundev., 194. Ȝif thei abyden to dyen be hem self, as nature wolde.
c. 1450. Merlin, i. 14. Tyll she be stronge to goo by her-self.
1711. Lond. Gaz., No. 4794/2. The Battalions … charg’d by their own selves.
1744. Berkeley, Siris, § 233. Going like a clock or a machine by itself.
5. By the side of; hence, in addition to, beside. By and beside: over and above. Sc. or north. Cf. FORBYE.
c. 1330. R. Brunne, Chron., 149. We þre haf … þe schippes of Kyng Richard to keep & ȝow þam bie.
c. 1425. Wyntoun, Cron., IX. xxvii. 331. By his awyn war Baneris five Dysplayt.
1535. Stewart, Cron. Scot., III. 230. Nocht be the clething on oure bak.
1600. J. Melvill, Diary (1842), 146. By and besyde the inward hand of my God, I haid twa utward speciall comforts.
1722. De Foe, Col. Jack (1840), 95. We will have a lift, if we don’t get the horse by the bargain.
1816. Scott, Antiq., xxi. ‘Few folks ken o’ this place … there’s just twa living by mysell.’
† 8. In comparison with, in proportion to (i.e., placed beside, for the sake of comparison or correlation); after verbs of distinguishing = from. Obs. exc. Sc.
1340. Ayenb., 249. Amang þe bestes man heþ þane leste mouþ be þe bodie.
1393. Langl., P. Pl., C. XVIII. 104. Noþer þei knoweþ ne conneþ o cours by a-noþer.
c. 1489. Caxton, Sonnes of Aymon, ix. 224. The four sones of Aymon were good to knowe by thother.
c. 1515. Elegy on Henry VIII’s Fool, in Halliwell, Nugæ Poeticæ, 45. Many folys by the thynke themselfe none.
1578. in Scot. Poems 16th C., II. 126. I gaif thee ressoun, quhereby thou might Haue knawin the day by the dark night.
1729. Lett., in Wodrow Corr. (1843), III. 448. Twenty-six years ago … we were in a pleasant situation … by what we are at present.
1768. Goldsm., Good-n. Man, I. Compare that part of life which is to come by that which we have passed.
Mod. Sc. So dark that one could not tell a house by a hay-stack.
b. To set or let (obs.) little, nought, etc., by: to put little, nothing, etc., in comparison with; to value, esteem little, etc.; also absol. To set by (obs.): to esteem highly. See SET and LET.
1362. Langl., P. Pl., A. XI. 29. Luytel is he loued or leten bi. Ibid. (1393), C. VI. 3. Cloþed as a lollere, And lytel y-lete by.
c. 1382. Wyclif, Isa. liii. 3. Wherfore ne wee setteden by hym.
c. 1400. Maundev., xxvii. 272. Thei sette not … by Cawteles.
1407. Songs Costume (1849), 57. Ye be so lewyd your selfe there setteth no man you bye.
c. 1430. How Wise man tauȝt Son, 126, in Babees Bk. (1868), 52. Bi oþir richesse sette no greet price.
c. 1440. York Myst., xxxi. 105. Sette I noght be hym.
1549. Psalm xv. 4 (Prayer Bk.). He that setteth not by himself, but is lowly in his own eyes.
1637. Bastwick, Litany, III. 13. That booke was highly set by and commended.
1729. Butler, Serm., 540. In all lowliness of mind we set lightly by ourselves.
1839. Keightley, Hist. Eng., I. 102. He also set by the hares, and they must go free.
7. More than, beyond, in preference to. † By and beside: outside of, without. By common, by ordinary (used adjectively): unusual, extraordinary. All Sc.
1567. Test. H. Stewart, in Scot. Poems 16th C., II. 257. Lancit with luif, sho luid me by all wycht.
1603. Philotus, cx. Our Parents hes opprest, And by all dew thair Dochters drest.
a. 1657. Sir J. Balfour, Ann. Scotl. (1824–5), II. 182. The motione … is made by and besyde the knouledge and conscience of the kirke of this land.
1822. Galt, Entail, II. ii. 13. He’s mair than weel enough. He’s by common.
1824. Scott, Redgauntlet, let. xi. There was something in it by ordinar.
1832–53. Whistle-Binkie (Sc. Songs), Ser. II. 27. He courts a’ the lasses … Yet for nane by anither cares bauld braxy Tam.
1851. Mrs. Oliphant, Marg. Maitland, i. My father was a man of bye-ordinary mildness.
† 8. Beyond (= L. præter); hence, contrary to, (a limiting decree or authority); in spite of, against. Obs. exc. Sc.
1460–70. Compl. Abbot of Arbroath, in C. Innes, E. Scot. Hist., App. (1861), 506. [He] has gart eyre and saw owr said landis by all resoun or apperans of ony clame thartyll.
1513. Douglas, Æneis, VII. x. 109. The hevynnis hie To wytnes drew he, all was by his wyll.
1650. Row, Hist. Kirk (1842), 366. By the expectation of many … the Parliament did ryde and end upon Fryday.
1668. Pepys, Diary, 24 Feb. I could not deny him, but was forced, by myself, to give.
Mod. Sc. That’s by belief.
† b. Apart from, away from. By oneself: beside oneself, out of one’s wits. Sc.
1600. Gowrie’s Conspir., in Harl. Misc. (Malh.), II. 339. The young gentleman … was become somewhat by himselfe, which his Maiestie conjectured … by his … vncouth stairing.
1785. Burns, Halloween, xvi. He monie a day was by himsel, He was sae sairly frighted.
1832. Blackw. Mag., XXXII. 644. Surely we’re by ourselves, to speak this open blasphemy.
** Of direction or vague localization.
9. In the region or general direction of, towards. By the head (Naut.): deeper in the water forward than abaft; the opposite of which is by the stern. By the board: see BOARD sb. 12. By the wind: (see quot. 1867).
(Hence in many adverbs and prepositions; as be-east, be-fore, be-half, be-hind, be-low, be-north, be-side, be-south, be-west; † be-mong, etc.
c. 893. K. Ælfred, Oros., I. i. § 7. Caucasus se beorʓ is be norþan and Indus seo ea be westan, and seo Reade Sæ be suþan.
a. 1225. Leg. Kath., 591. Þe alre wiseste þe wuneð bi westen.
c. 1340. Cursor M., 12131 (Trin.). Who herde euer suche ferly Of any mon bi norþ or souþ.
1393. Langl., P. Pl., C. II. 117. Hit is sykerer by southe þer þe sonne regneth Þan in þe north.
1556. J. Heywood, Spider & F., lx. 101. One sort by east, an other by west, did rise.
1627. Capt. Smith, Seaman’s Gram., ix. (1692), 43. Lay the Ship by the Lee to trie the Dep-sea Line.
1628. Digby, Voy. Medit. (1868), 46. In smooth water, and by a wind, was her best way.
1664. Bushnell, Shipwright, 7. The most Ships saile by the Sterne.
1849. Blackw. Mag., LXVI. 196. She’s too much by the head.
1867. Smyth, Sailor’s Word-bk., By the wind is when a ship sails as nearly to the direction of the wind as possible.
b. spec. used in the names of the sixteen smallest points of the compass, viz. North by East, North-east by North, North-east by East, East by North, etc., indicating one point towards the east, west, north, or south of N., NE., E., SE., S. SW., W., NW. respectively.
The point midway between N. and E. is NE.; that mid-way between N. and NE. is NNE.: the intermediate point between N. and NNE. is N. by E., that between NE. and NNE. is NE. by N.
1682. Wheler, Journ. Greece, VI. 481. I observed Corinth to lie South-East by South off us.
1719. De Foe, Crusoe (1840), I. ii. 26. I … steered directly south and by east.
1837. Fraser’s Mag., XVI. 48. We steered S.E. by E. Ibid. (1849), XL. 666. Cape Trafalgar bore east by south.
† c. In compound preps. of direction, as, by-hither on this side of, by west to the west of, etc.; which are also used substantively. Obs. More commonly BE-EAST, BE-NORTH, BEHITHER, etc., q.v.
c. 893. K. Ælfred, Oros., I. i. § 6. Be norþam þam porte.
c. 1420. Avow. Arth., xlvii. He … was comun fro bi-southe.
1577. Holinshed, Chron., III. 961/2. The whole armie was landed two miles by west the towne of Lith.
1612. Davies, Why Ireland, &c. (1787), 177. They dwelt by west the law, which dwelt beyond the river of the Barrow.
1614. Raleigh, Hist. World, V. ii. § 8. 354. Like as they called Cisalpines, or bi-hither the Alpes, those who dwelt between them and the Mountaines.
1716. Lett., in Wodrow Corr. (1843), II. 119. The places in Fife, by-cast Dunfermline.
† 10. On (vaguely and indefinitely), in the region or domain of. Obs. exc. in phr. by land, etc. Cf. 11 c.
c. 1205. Lay., 10511. Þa vt-laȝes beoð swa stronge bi watere & bi londe.
c. 1314. Guy Warw. (A.), 830. Who so winneþ þe turnament al Bi aiþer half, þe priis haue schal.
c. 1325. Coer de L., 1849. By the water-half ye them assail, And we will by land saunsfayl.
1578. Lyte, Dodoens, III. lxv. 407. The whiche leaves are playne by one side.
1770. Langhorne, Plutarch (1879), I. 241/2. They commonly commanded both by sea and land.
1866. Kingsley, Herew., i. I never saw one yet, by flood or field.
II. Of motion.
* Of motion alongside, along, or over a course.
11. Alongside of, along, down over, up over.
(In by a way, path, road, this touches the sense of means.)
c. 888. K. Ælfred, Boeth., xl. § 5. Ȝif ic þe læde be þam weʓe.
c. 1175. Lamb. Hom., 79. Þer com a prost bi þe weie.
a. 1250. Owl & Night., 506. Þe heisugge Þat flihþ bi grunde a mong þe stubbe.
c. 1300. K. Alis., 1767. Hom heo wendith by doune and dale.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 14285. Þe teres bi þair chekes þon ran.
1486. Bk. St. Albans, D j b. And comyth low bi the grounde.
1534. Ld. Berners, Gold. Bk. M. Aurel. (1546), C. iij. To goo by the stretes as vacabundes.
1682. Wheler, Journ. Greece, I. 47. It fell to the Hollanders share to come by our Lee.
1712. Parnell, Spect., No. 460, ¶ 6. The way by which we ascended.
1816. J. Wilson, City of Plague, I. i. 187. Moving by the river side, Came on a ghost.
1885. Act 48 & 49 Vic. liv. § 14. The churches … are within four miles of one another by the nearest road.
¶ b. By is sometimes elliptically omitted.
1768. Wesley, Jrnl., 23 Sept. Nor could I get to my lodgings the foot way.
Mod. We came back the same way. You went a roundabout way to get there.
c. blended with some sense of means of transit; cf. 30 b.
c. 1205. Lay., 31195. Comen … bi sæ & bi londe feole cunne leoden.
1382. Wyclif, Acts xx. 13. Makinge journey bi lond.
c. 1450. Merlin, iii. 41. The shippes comynge by the see.
1630. M. Godwyn, Bp. Hereford’s Ann. Eng., 82. Hee went by water to Greenwich.
1712. Budgell, Spect., No. 425, ¶ 1. You descend at first by twelve Stone Steps.
1851. Kingsley, Yeast, 216. Why not send a parcel by rail?
12. In passing along: said of incidents happening on a journey, etc.; chiefly in phr. by the way.
c. 1000. Ælfric, Gen. xlv. 24. Ne forlæte ʓe nan þing be weʓe.
c. 1340. Cursor M., 18378 (Trin.). Amen alleluya songen þei And honoured him euer bi þe wey.
1526. Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W., 1531), 5 b. But the sayd rychesse holpe them well by the waye.
1530. Tindale, Exp. (1849), 330. If a woman should find a man-child by the streets.
1611. Shaks., Wint. T., IV. iii. 253. I was cozen’d by the way, and lost all my money.
1760. Goldsm., Cit. World, xcix. They always grow young by the way.
Mod. And by the way I dropped it.
b. Hence fig. By the way, by the by: (a.) in passing, incidentally, as a chance idea in speech or writing; (b.) ellipt., omitting words like ‘it may be remarked.’ See BY sb., WAY.
(a.) 1548. Latimer, Serm. Ploughers (Arb.), 21. Here haue I an occasion by the way somwhat to say vnto you.
1642. Fuller, Holy & Prof. St., V. v. 377. They had something … in the favour of Friers, though brought in only by the by.
1677. Moxon, Mech. Exerc. (1703), 202. And by the way you may take notice, that the deeper you cut down the Groove, the oftner will your Work come about every Tread.
1830. Blackw. Mag., XXVIII. 247. All this is by the way.
1832. J. C. Hare, Philol. Museum, I. 254. But he does not seem to have treated this question, which merely came in by the by in a work embracing a multitude of subjects.
(b.) 1574. trans. Marlorat’s Apocalips, 41. By the waye, thys place teacheth vs, that [etc.].
1631. Gouge, God’s Arrows, IV. xv. 396. Here by the way, the Providence of God … is remarkable.
1711. Steele, Spect., No. 32, ¶ 3. One of the Seniors (whom by the by Mr. President had taken all this Pains to bring over) sat still.
1818. Byron, Juan, I. lvi. Her blood was not all Spanish, by the by.
1882. Knowledge, No. 39. 144/1. Artificial irrigation, which, by-the-way, is now being extensively developed in Australia, [etc.].
† 13. Through the extent of, throughout. Obs.
a. 1225. St. Marher., 9. Þe fuheles þe fleon bi ðe lufte.
c. 1380. Wyclif, Wks. (1880), 41. Hou freris schullen go bi þe world.
1502. trans. Magna Charta, in Arnolde, Chron. (1811), 220. To … dwell & goo bi England.
1647. W. Browne, Polex., P ij a. By the whole extent of her Territories.
14. Through, or so as to pass (in one’s course); also expanded into by way of.
c. 1340. Cursor M., 11529 (Fairf.). An angill come & hem forbad To wend by hym [Herod] eny way.
1382. Wyclif, John x. 1. He that cometh not in by the dore.
c. 1400. Epiph. (Turnb., 1843), 108. They returned by Jerusalem.
c. 1485. Digby Myst. (1882), I. 37. The thre kynges … promysed kyng herowde … To come a-geyn by him.
1553. Eden, Treat. New Ind. (Arb.), 8. The passage … by the strayghtes of Magellanus.
1625. K. Long, trans. Barclay’s Argenis, IV. ix. 270. Faithful Sicambes was conveyed in by a backe chamber.
1633. Featley, in P. Fletcher, Purple Isl., Introd. The Way to God is by ourselves.
1719. De Foe, Crusoe (1848), 357. The place was inaccessible, except by such windings, &c., as they themselves only who made them could find.
1885. Sir S. Hannen, in Law Rep., 15 Queen’s B. Div., 140. Leaving the building by a side door.
1701. W. Wotton, Hist. Rome, 481. He went by the way of Illyricum.
1865. Cornh. Mag., XI. 595. It invaded France by way of Avignon.
** Of motion into a position beside, or within reach.
15. Near to, close up, into the presence of: chiefly in to come by, for the phraseological and fig. uses of which see COME v.
c. 1175. Lamb. Hom., 83. He [Christ] com bi þis forwundede mon.
c. 1330. R. Brunne, Chron., 296. Alle þat he mot com bie, he robbed.
c. 1350. Will. Palerne, 220. By-þan he com by þat barn.
1535. Coverdale, Tobit iv. 20. Seke some meanes, how thou mayest come by him.
1607. Shaks., Cor., II. iii. 46. We are not to stay altogether, but to come by him where he stands.
Mod. Come close by me, and tell me what is the matter.
*** Of motion alongside and beyond.
16. On alongside of, into the vicinity of and on beyond, past. Originally the nearness in passing was emphasized; in later use ‘by’ is more frequently distinguished from ‘through’ or other word, and expresses passing without stopping or contact, and thus avoidance, aloofness; but often the notion is merely that of getting beyond, or to the other side of, and pass by, go by merely = pass.
c. 1380. Sir Ferumb., 1108. By hilles & roches swyþe horrible on hur cors þay wente.
1393. Gower, Conf., I. 227. To hem that passen all day by me.
1509. Hawes, Examp. Virt., vi. 78. That came vs by and very nere, Ascendynge vp into her hyghe sete.
1632. Rutherford, Lett., xxiii. (1862), I. 91. Your jealous Husband will not be content that ye look by Him to another.
1660. Pepys, Diary, 2 Nov. I … got as far as Ludgate by all the bonfires.
1732. Berkeley, Alciphr., V. § 1. We saw a fox run by the foot of our mount.
1786. Burns, Twa Dogs, 92. They gang as saucy by poor folk, As I wad by a stinking brock.
1820. Keats, Lamia, 315. She saw him as once she pass’d him by.
b. The notion of avoidance, disregard, omission, neglect, is especially present in fig. uses of GO BY, PASS BY and the like: see the verbs. Cf. 8.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Man of Law’s T., 1026. But I lete all his storie passen by.
1535. Stewart, Cron. Scot., II. 639. Foull appetyte … causis thame oft till go by the rycht.
1552. Abp. Hamilton, Catech. (1884), 31. Cursit ar thai quhilk gangis by the commandis of God.
1667. Pepys, Diary (1877), V. 470. The king hath … passed by the thing and pardoned it already.
1673. Marvell, Reh. Transp., II. 346. I am content to go by the loss.
1869. J. Martineau, Ess., II. 76. Instances may be accumulated … which legislation passes by in silence.
c. So in To put or set (anyone) by (an aim, purpose, duty, etc.): to cause him to miss or omit it; to deprive, disappoint, or cheat of, do out of. arch. and dial.
1580. North, Plutarch, 798. The King … did put Tiribazus by his Wife.
1596. Spenser, Astroph. Elegy, 174. Perhaps this may a suter be, To set Mars by his deitie.
1643. Prynne, Power Parl., I. (ed. 2), 53. Maude the Empresse … was put by the Crowne by the Prelates and Barons.
1647. W. Browne, Polexander, II. 329. We met with a storme, which put us by our course.
1726. Amherst, Terræ Filius, xliii. 236. He can put him by his degree for a whole year.
1768. Johnson, Lett., I. xiv. 17. I have been oddly put by my purpose.
Mod. dial. The child has been put by his sleep.
d. dial. transferred to the idea of time.
1863. Atkinson, Danby Provinc., By the time, beyond or past the time. They’re a lang way by their tahm.
17. Defining the space passed over, or to be passed over, in order to reach a point: At, to, or within the distance of.
c. 1230. Hali Meid., 23. Loke … bi hu moni degrez ha falleð duneward.
1393. Langl., P. Pl., C. XX. 58. Wolde nat neyhle him by nyne londes lengthe.
c. 1489. Caxton, Sonnes of Aymon, 227. There is nother castell nor towne by xx myles nyghe about it.
1551. R. Robinson, trans. More’s Utop. (Arb.), 77. By all that space … the water ebbeth and floweth.
1682. Wheler, Journ. Greece, IV. 291. No Ship … can come near them by four or five Miles.
1880. McCarthy, Own Times, III. xlv. 386. The Conservative miss by a foot was as good … as a miss by a mile.
18. Expressing, as the result of comparison, the amount of excess or increase, inferiority or diminution, in length, duration, weight or quantity: a. definitely.
c. 1200. Trin. Coll. Hom., 169. Þe þridde biwist … was bi twifold more þane þe forme.
1375. Barbour, Bruce, II. 230. Thar fayis war may then thai Be xv. c.
1556. J. Heywood, Spider & F., lx. 38. I thought him to young to haue winges, by a yeare.
1585. Jas. I., Ess. Poesie (Arb.), 61. Gif ze place thame in the begynning of a lyne, they are shorter be a fute, nor they are, gif ze place thame hinmest in the lyne.
1614. B. Jonson, Barth. Fair, I. i. He is taller than either of you by the head.
1753. Chambers, Cycl. Supp., s.v. Account, Balance of an Account is the sum by which the debt exceeds the credit, or vice versa.
1777. Sheridan, Sch. Scand., IV. iii. He is too moral by half.
1815. Scribbleomania, 261. Selwyn … missed it only by seven votes out of 7000.
1884. Manch. Exam., 21 May, 4/7. The M.C.C. winning by an innings and four runs.
b. in phrases by far, by much, by so much, etc.
c. 1230. Hali Meid., 23. Bi hu muchel þe an passeð þe oðre.
c. 1375. Wyclif, Antecrist (Todd), 117. By hou myche þei shul be more merueilous to men, be so myche þe hooli men … shulen be dispised.
1393. Langl., P. Pl., C. XXIII. 314. More of fisik by fer.
1423. James I., Kingis Q., cxxxi. The werk that first is foundit sure … langere sall endure Be monyfald.
a. 1450. Myrc, 1629. A-bregge hys penaunce þen by myche.
1595. Barnfield, Poems (Arb.), 43. By how much the lesse I am able to expresse it, by so much the more it is infinite.
1677. Moxon, Mech. Exerc. (1703), 35. By so much as Brass is a weaker Mettal than Iron.
1808. Scott, Marmion, V. xii. ’Twere better by far To have matched our fair cousin with young Lochinvar.
III. Of time.
† 19. In the course of, at, in, on (the time or date of an action or event). Obs. exc. as in b.
a. 1000. Laws of Eadgar, I. 4 (Mätz.). Sy ælc heorðpening aʓyfen be Petres mæssedæʓ.
c. 1200. Trin. Coll. Hom., 47. Swich þeu wes bi þan dagen.
c. 1300. Beket, 2494. This was bi a Tywesdai.
c. 1380. Wyclif, De Eccles., Sel. Wks. III. 350. Crist techiþ … þat men shulden snybbe her briþeren bi þre tymes.
1393. Langl., P. Pl., C. II. 102. Dauid by hus daies dobbede knyȝtes.
1488. Caxton, Chast. Goddes Chyldr., 42. Men haue dwellid stably in wyldernesse by hemselfe by olde tyme.
1543. Ld. Berners, Gold. Bk. M. Aurel. (1546), F vij. His sonnes in lawe, that he hadde chose by his life tyme.
a. 1687. H. More, in R. Ward, Life (1710), 352. I wish you would resolve to see Cambridge once by the year at least.
1797. Philanthrope, No. 23. 177. Where he used to wander many a morning by sun-rise, and many an evening by moonlight.
b. esp. By day (L. interdiu), by night (L. noctu). Here the statement of time approaches very nearly to the indication of the physical conditions, as in ‘by day-light’: see 34.
OE. used in this sense the adverbial genitive dæʓes and nihtes, or on with the dative on dæȝ(e) and on niht(e); the early ME. examples show a mixture of these and the modern form with by.
c. 1200. Ormin, 11332. Heold Crist hiss fasste … Bi daȝhess & bi nahhtess.
a. 1250. Owl & Night., 241. Bi daie þu art stareblind.
c. 1380. Sir Ferumb., 4265. Þe Ameral be-segeþ hymen þer-yn … Be niȝtes & be daye.
c. 1440. Partonope, 1632. He come to Pountyff by the day.
1697. Dryden, Virg. Georg., III. 405. Alone, by Night, his watery way he took.
1855. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., III. 231. The breaches made by day were repaired by night with indefatigable activity.
† 20. During, for (a space of time). Obs. exc. in arch. by the space of. (Now expressed by for.)
c. 1460. Towneley Myst., 274 (Mätz). He ded shuld be, And ly in erthe by dayes thre.
1503–4. Act 19 Hen. VII., xxxvi. Preamb. [He] lay both at Surgery and fesyk … by the space of ij yeres and more.
1509. Hawes, Past. Pleas., I. viii. Thus stode I musynge myselfe all alone By right long tyme.
1611. Bible, Acts xx. 31. By the space of three yeeres, I ceased not to warne euery one.
1623–4. Act 21 Jas. I., xx. § 1. The Offender … shall … be set in the Stocks by three whole Hours.
1841. G. S. Faber, Provinc. Lett. (1844), I. 221. Wholly given to … idolatry by the space of above eight hundred years.
21. Marking the completion of the time required or assigned for the performance of an action: On or before, not later than; † within (a space of time). Cf. BETIMES.
c. 1350. Will. Palerne, 2683. But hire fader com bi þe fourteniȝtes hende.
c. 1380. Wyclif, Sel. Wks., III. 346. He bryngiþ in newe [servants] þat done werse bi litil tyme.
c. 1500. Lancelot, 30. Be the morow set I was a-fyre.
1616. W. Forde, Serm., 25. Learne by time how to die.
1682. Wheler, Journ. Greece, I. 24. We parted and came by noon to Lesina.
1712. Steele, Spect., No. 503, ¶ 2. By this time the best of the Congregation was at the Church-door.
1768. Sterne, Sent. Journ. (1778), II. 32. Ready at the door of the hotel by nine in the morning.
1867. Freeman, Norm. Conq. (1876), I. v. 349. By midwinter they came back to their ships.
b. Hence, with omission of sb.: By this, by that; also by now, by then, etc.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 3007. Bi þis come sarra to þe tide O birth sco moght not ouerbide. Ibid., 2827 (Trin.). Bi þenne bigan þe liȝt of day.
a. 1400[?]. Morte Arth. (1847), 19. By that was Launcelot hole and fere.
c. 1500. Lancelot, 774. Be this the word wes to king arthur gone.
c. 1565. R. Lindesay (Pitscottie), Chron. Scot. (1728), 62. There are other ambassadors … directed by-now from the pope.
1671. Milton, Samson, 262. Had Judah that day joined … They had by this possessed the towers of Gath.
1795. Southey, Joan of Arc, I. cxxxii. By this Dunois Had arm’d.
1864. Atkinson, Whitby Gloss., s.v., They must have sailed by now.
c. In the conjunctive phrase By the time (that); also formerly, by then (that), by that.
a. 1300. Floriz & Bl., 151. Biþat hit was middai hiȝ Floriz was þe brigge niȝ.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 2839. Bi þe time þat þe sune ras, Strang cri in þa tounes was.
a. 1400[?]. Morte Arth. (1847), 99. By than that endyd was the fight, The fals were feld.
c. 1435. Torr. Portugal, 19. Be tyme he was xviij yer old, Of deddes of armys he wase bold.
1470–85. Malory, Arthur, I. x. By than they were redy on horsbak there were vii C knyghtes.
1523. Ld. Berners, Froiss., I. xlvi. 64. By yt it was day in the mornyng, they were before Courtray.
1575–85. Abp. Sandys, Serm. (1841), 300. They cannot tell what is said: it is forgotten by that it is spoken.
1684. Bunyan, Pilgr., II. 82. By that these Pilgrims had been at this place a week, Mercy had a Visitor.
1701. W. Wotton, Hist. Rome, 356. By that time he had overtaken the poor flying Emperor, he was almost equal to him.
1854. Thoreau, Walden, iv. (1886), 111. By the time the villagers had broken their fast.
1868. Morris, Jason, III. 503. Now was it eve by then that Orpheus came into the hall.
† d. whence by as quasi-conj. in same sense: By the time that, when, after. Obs. exc. Sc.
1297. R. Glouc., 369. Be hii aryse … Wolues dede hii nymeþ vorþ.
a. 1440. Sir Degrev., 961. That lady was glad By sche that chartur had rad.
c. 1565. Lindesay (Pitscottie), Chron., 31 (Jam.). By thir words were said, his men were so enraged.
c. 1644. MS. Hist. Somerville Family. Be this execution was done, the prince returned from the persuite.
1724. Ramsay, Tea-t. Misc. (1733), I. 103. By you’ve drunk a dozen bumpers, Bacchus will begin to prove … Drinking better is than love.
Mod. Sc. It was done be (or by) we came home.
IV. Of mental or ideal proximity. (fig. from I. 1.)
* Of accordance to a model, rule, or standard.
22. In imitation of, after; with verbs of calling or naming. Cf. 29.
c. 893. K. Ælfred, Oros., III. ix. § 14. Oþer [byriʓ] wæs hatenu be his horse Bucefal, oþer Nicea.
a. 1593. Marlowe, Dido, V. i. Let it be term’d Aenea, by your name. Serg. Rather Ascania, by your little son.
1682. Wheler, Journ. Greece, I. 24. The Town is called by the name of the Isle.
23. According to, in accordance with, in conformity or harmony with: a. a command, law, rule, will, or any standard of action. So in phrases by book, † by course (= in turn), by heart, by rote, † by row (= in order). (See the sbs.)
a. 1000. O. E. Chron. (Laud MS.), an. 634. Se Birinus com þider be Honorius wordum.
c. 1000. Ælfric, Gen. xxiv. 10. Ferde to þam lande be his hlafordes hæse.
c. 1175. Lamb. Hom., 97. Todelende uwilchen bi þan þet him iwurð.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 13052. Þi broþer wijf þat þou agh not to haf be lau. Ibid., 9589. Mercy þou owest to haue be riȝt.
1463. Bury Wills (1850), 16. I will that they be revardyd … by the discrecion of my executours.
1556. Chron. Gr. Friars (1852), 11. To be songe solemply be note.
1663. Butler, Hud., I. I. 86. And tell what Rules he did it by.
1712. Addison, Spect., No. 409, ¶ 7. In examining Æneas his Voyage by the Map.
1848. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., II. 665. The right by which freeholders chose knights of the shire.
1859. F. Griffiths, Artil. Man. (1862), 14. By the left.—Quick march. By the right.—Quick march.
1866. Kingsley, Herew., v. 109. They had timed their journey by the tides.
1884. W. C. Smith, Kildrostan, 46. We judge a stranger by our home-bred ways.
1470–85. Malory, Arthur (1816), I. 52. The barons … assayed all by row, but none might speed.
1551–6. R. Robinson, trans. More’s Utop. (Arb.), 93. The women of euery family by course haue the office … of cookerie.
1552. Huloet, By herte, memoriter.
c. 1579. G. Harvey, in Athenæum, 789/1. His œconomicks … every on hath by rote.
1709. Steele & Addison, Tatler, No. 93, ¶ 4. I am therefore obliged to learn by book.
a. 1834. Coleridge, Table T. (1874), 91. In Germany, the hymns are known by heart by every peasant.
b. ellipt. with persons: According to the words or instructions of (obs.); now only in take example, pattern, or warning by, i.e., by the case of.
c. 1300. K. Alis., 3089. No doth nought by Dalmadas.
c. 1550. Scot. Poems 16th C., II. 133. Euer liue in charity Be Christ Iesu.
1643. Parables on Times, 12. I will take warning by the Eagle.
1866. Kingsley, Herew., iv. (1877), 96. Take example by Alcinous.
1882. Athenæum, 18 March, 339. He has taken pattern by Goethe.
c. in By your leave, by consent, etc.
c. 1250. Gen. & Ex., 2865. God … of israel, ðe bode sente … ðat bi ði leve, hise folc vt-fare.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Reeve’s Prol., 62. By youre leue I shal him quite anoon.
1470. Harding, Chron., xxvii. iii. His heire to been by their bothes assent.
1558. Q. Eliz., in Strype, Ann. Ref., I. App. i. Elizabeth, by the grace of God, queen of England, Fraunce and Ireland.
1593. Hooker, Eccl. Pol., Pref. vi. § 2. Given by authority.
1754. Richardson, Grandison (1811), IV. iii. 22. By the doctor’s allowance, I enclose it to you.
1848. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., I. 153. The old civil polity was, therefore, by the general consent of both the great parties, reestablished.
† d. By so, by so that: if only, provided that.
1393. Langl., P. Pl., C. V. 98. So alle myne claymes ben quyt by so þe kynge asente. Ibid., XVII. 209. By so þat no man were a-greued. Ibid., XXIII. 221. Ich counte conscience no more by so ich cacche seluer.
e. = ‘Judging by or from,’ ‘judged by.’
1597. Shaks., 2 Hen. IV., IV. i. 21. By the ground they hide, I iudge their number … thirtie thousand.
1768. Eliz. Carter, Lett. (1809), III. 164. By what I have heard of his character, I fear it affords no very comfortable prospects for our poor Princess.
1879. L. Stephen, Hours in Libr., III. vii. 294. He [Macaulay] ought, by all his intellectual sympathies, to be a utilitarian.
24. According to: a. estimation or measurement of any kind. Whence the phrases by the great (obs.) = by wholesale, by piecemeal(s, by retail, etc.
c. 1000. Ælfric, Lev. xxvi. 26. And ʓe etaþ hlaf be ʓewihte.
c. 1205. Lay., 27607. Fif hundred bi tale fusden to-somne.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, 1291. Seuyn thousand be sowme all of sure knightes.
1609. Bible (Douay), Lament. iii. 16. And he hath broken my teeth by number.
1611. Bible, Josh. iii. 4. A space … about two thousand cubites by measure.
1682. Wheler, Journ. Greece, II. 203. They sell it by weight.
1697. Dryden, Virg. Georg., IV. 212. For ev’ry Bloom … An Autumn Apple was by tale restor’d.
1886. Law Times, LXXX. 166/2. A miner … paid by piecework.
1598. W. Phillip, Linschoten’s Trav. Ind. (1864), 189. By means of their Brokers they buy by the great, and sell them againe by the piece.
1691. Reply Vind. Disc. Unreasonableness of New Separ., 14. I have Englished your Latin by Piecemeal.
1748. Anson, Voy., III. viii. (ed. 4), 485. The Carpenters went on board to agree for all the work by the great.
1842. Blackw. Mag., LII. 279. The … people are ‘perishing by wholesale.’
b. a definite standard or unit of measurement.
1494. Act 1. 1 Hen. VII., xxiii. No such Merchant … should put any Herring to Sale by Barrel, Demy-Barrel, or Firkin.
1600. O. E., Repl. Libel, I. viii. 210. The rest ate bread by the ounce, and drunke water by the quart.
1728. Young, Love Fame, II. 64. ’Tis hard That Science should be purchased by the yard.
1885. Manch. Exam., 2 May, 6/2. Roses … may be gathered by the basketful.
c. distributively, For each, for every, a; see A adj.2 4. (Cf. per cent., per annum, per pound; F. par jour, etc.)
a. 1300. Cursor M., 8833. To wijt hu þat it [þe tre] gru be yere.
1495. Hen. VII., in Ellis, Orig. Lett., I. 11, I. 21. For … an archer or bille on horsback viijd. by the day.
1570. Ascham, Scholem. (Arb.), 38. A stipend of 200 crounes by yeare.
1647. Husbandman’s Plea agst. Tithes, 35. Arable land at 6s. 8d. by the Acre.
1781. Phil. Trans., LXXI. 305. The common price … is just two shillings by the pound.
1797. Philanthrope, No. 4. 22. He who had originally no other estate than a grey-goose quill, had now several thousands by year.
1815. Scribbleomania, 30. A public accustomed to quartos of original poetry by the month.
25. Succession of numerical groups or quantities, later of individuals, of the same class is indicated by by: a. followed by the sb. of quantity repeated with and between, as by two and two, by little and little. arch.
c. 1205. Lay., 16128. Heo droȝen ut of þan wuden bi sixti & bi sixti.
c. 1300. K. Alis., 548. By threo, by foure, with his taile, To the ground he smot.
1413. Lydg., Pylgr. Sowle, III. viii. (1483), 55. They … bounden them to geders by ten and by twelue.
1483. Cath. Angl., 31/2. By lytylle and lytylle, sensim, paulatim.
1556. J. Heywood, Spider & F., lxix. 2. Streight these twelue a rose By foure, four, and foure.
1593. Shaks., Rich. II., III. ii. 198. I play the Torturer by small and small To lengthen out the worst.
1682. Wheler, Journ. Greece, IV. 321. Which, by little and little, enlargeth it self.
1710. Steele, Tatler, No. 225, ¶ 2. A Set of Wags … appear generally by Two and Two.
1820. Keats, St. Agnes, xli. By one and one the bolts full easy slide.
b. followed by the sb. of quantity in pl., as by hundreds, by inches, by files, by degrees; also by times, by turns (obs.), = ‘time after time, turn after turn.’
a. 1300. Cursor M., 4710. Togider þei flocked in þat lond Bi hundrides & bi þousond.
1535. Coverdale, Habak. i. 8. Their horsmen come by greate heapes from farre.
1578. Lyte, Dodoens, IV. lviii. 519. The roote is … full of joyntes by spaces.
1593. Hooker, Eccl. Pol., I. vi. § 1. They grow by degrees.
1607. Shaks., Cor., II. iii. 47. We are … to come … by ones, by twoes, & by threes.
1635. Quarles, Embl., I. (1818), 42. One … rends hair by handfuls.
1645. City Alarum, 11. We do worse then stand still, in doing things by halves.
1686. Goad, Celest. Bodies, II. iii. 191. To win our Ground by Inches.
1704. Pope, Spring, 41. Then sing by turns, by turns the Muses sing. Ibid. (1728), Dunciad, III. 89. The North by myriads pours her mighty sons.
1817. J. Gilchrist, Intell. Patrimony, 71. Raving, perchance, by times, concerning religion and morality.
1843. Barham, Ingol. Leg., Nurse’s Story. Hand in hand The murderers stand, By one, by two, by three.
1869. Freeman, Norm. Conq. (1876), III. xii. 146. By twenties, by hundreds, by thousands, the force gathered.
c. preceded and followed by the sb. or word of quantity, as man by man, little by little.
c. 1392. Chaucer, Compl. Venus, 8. To folowe word by word the Curiosite of Graunson.
1393. Langl., P. Pl., C. XIII. 11. And praye for þe, pol by pol, yf þow be pecunyous.
c. 1449. Pecock, Repr., II. iiij. 144. Ouer long to be rehercid word bi word here.
c. 1500. Cocke Lorelles B. (1843), 8. I wyll … reken them one by one.
1630. Wadsworth, Sp. Pilgr., iii. 15. They go downe two by two.
1709. Tatler, No. 42, ¶ 14. Draw out Company, by Company, and Troop by Troop.
1812. Keats, Lamia, 663. A deadly silence step by step increased.
1830. Tennyson, Poems, 66. The thick snow falls on her flake by flake.
d. To this may perhaps be referred the arithmetical phrases, To multiply, divide by (although by is now associated with the agent or factor); also the ellipt. by = ‘multiplied by’ in measurements of surface or content.
c. 1391. Chaucer, Astrol., II. § 41 a. Multiplie þat be 12. Ibid., § 42 b. Ȝif þou deuide 144 be 3.
1581. Styward, Mart. Discipl., I. 23. Then deuide the product by 1000.
1614. T. Bedwell, Nat. Geom. Numbers, iv. 65. I square the quotient 2, that is, I multiply it by it selfe.
1753. Chambers, Cycl. Supp., s.v. Multiplication, It is easy to conceive a quantity of any kind multiplied by a number.
1859. Barn. Smith, Arith. & Algebra (ed. 6), 194. The former of these quantities is to be divided by the latter.
1731. Swift, Corr., II. 690. Adjoining the kitchen may be made one room of 18 feet by 18.
1771. Goldsm., Haunch of Venison, 68. A chair-lumber’d closet, just twelve feet by nine.
1865. Cornh. Mag., XI. 60. An open water sixteen miles long by three broad.
** Of relation to an object about which physical or mental activity is engaged.
26. About, concerning, with respect to, in regard to, as concerns: a. after verbs of action, as do, act, deal.
c. 1175. Lamb. Hom., 51. Þenne do we bi ure sunne al swa me deað bi þe deade.
a. 1225. Ancr. R., 122. Þauh me dude so bi þe, me dude þe eorðe riht.
c. 1380. Sir Ferumb., 5855. Doþ now syre by thys man As it is þy wille.
1579. Spenser, Sheph. Cal., May, 171. Such faitors … Will doe as did the Foxe by the Kidde.
1621. Burton, Anat. Mel., II. i. I. i. As the Spanish Marques is said to have done by one of his slaves.
1769. Goldsm., Roman Hist. (1786), I. 332. He murdered Hiempsal … and attempted the same by Adherbal.
1812. Jane Austen, Mansf. Park, v. He will consider it a right thing by Mrs. Grant, as well as by Fanny.
1869. Mrs. Norton, Old Sir Douglas, xxx. 178. That Kenneth should do his duty by his mother.
1872. Yeats, Growth Comm., 32. Neither side acting unfairly by the other.
b. after neuter impersonal verbs, as be, fall, fare: With. Obs. or dial.
a. 1250. Owl & Night., 1373. Al swa hit is bi mine songe.
c. 1280. Commandm., 31, in E. E. P. (1862), 16. Hit falliþ bi children þat beþ quede, as fariþ bi been in hiue.
1393. Langl., P. Pl., C. XXI. 236. So shal hit fare by þis folke.
1523. Ld. Berners, Froiss., I. ccccxi. 717. Bycause they rode forth lyke foles, so it came by them.
† c. after verbs of thinking, saying, etc.: About, of. Obs.
a. 1000. Elene, 562. Witʓan sungon … be godes bearne.
a. 1121. O. E. Chron. (Laud MS.), an. 1036. Sume men sædon be Harolde þæt he wære Cnute sunu cynges.
c. 1175. Lamb. Hom., 7. Þis he witeȝede bi drihtene þurh þene halie gast.
a. 1250. Owl & Night., 46. Hu thincthe nu bi mine songe?
c. 1320. Cast. Loue, 495. Be vs foure þis I telle.
c. 1460. Towneley Myst. 188. How thynk the, sir Pilate, Bi this brodelle.
1556. J. Heywood, Spider & F., xliv. 9. What dishonestie know you by flies, sur? More then flies know by spiders.
1601. Shaks., All’s Well, V. iii. 237. By him and by this woman heere, what know you?
1645. T. Hill, Olive Branch (1648), 12. God knows more good and evil by us, then we know by our selves.
1752. Fielding, Amelia, VIII. ii. I always love to speak by people as I find.
† d. with pejorative force: Against. Obs. exc. dial.
c. 1300. Beket, 871. Bi the Bischop of Londone thulke word he sede.
c. 1530. Ld. Berners, Arth. Lyt. Bryt., 23. Arthur wolde fayne fynde some cause by her.
1611. Bible, 1 Cor. iv. 4. I know nothing by myself [Revised against].
1678. Yng. Man’s Call., 351. He never knew any thing by her to be worthy of the least suspicion.
1879. Miss Jackson, Shropsh. Wd.-bk. (E. D. S.), ’E’s a tidy mon, leastways I know nuthin’ by ’im.
*** Of relation to a circumstance.
27. With respect to, in the matter of, as concerns (name, trade, age; also birth, blood, nature, etc., in which there is prob. some notion of instrumentality also).
c. 1380. Sir Ferumb., 1131. A knyȝt of fraunce, Be name ne know y noȝt wat he was.
1606. G. W[oodcocke], Justine, 96. By age but a boy.
1622–62. Heylin, Cosmogr., III. (1673), 58/1. The People … were by composition of a middle stature.
1711. Addison, Spect., No. 47, ¶ 7. A Neighbour of mine, who is a Haberdasher by Trade. Ibid. (1712), No. 69, ¶ 2. A Merchant … who just knows me by sight.
1848. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., I. 529. Allowed to associate … with him as with a brother by blood.
1864. Cornh. Mag., X. 175. Frenchmen by blood as well as by birth and estate.
V. Of medium, means, instrumentality, agency. (A fig. development of the notion of way in II. 11.)
28. Indicating the part which serves as the medium of application or direct point and means whereby an action is applied to the whole.
a. 1000. Beowulf, 3298. Þa wæs be feaxe on flet boren Grendles heafod.
c. 1000. Ælfric, Gen. xxxix. 12. Heo teh hine be his claþum.
a. 1154. O. E. Chron., an. 1137. Me henged up bi the fet.
1393. Langl., P. Pl., C. IV. 10. Cortesliche þe clerk þenne … Toke mede by þe myddel.
1526. Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W., 1531), 272 b. An hande sent downe toke me by the heer of my heed.
1547. Boorde, Introd. Knowl., 131. Pediculus other whyle do byte me by the backe.
1667. Pepys, Diary, 13 July. I did give her a pull by the nose, and some ill words.
1711. Addison, Spect., No. 12, ¶ 2. Her little boy offers to pull me by the coat.
1798. Gouv. Morris, in Sparks, Life & Writ. (1832), III. 109. The new peace hangs by a very slender thread.
1830. Tennyson, Ode to Mem., 30. Thou leddest by the hand thine infant Hope.
b. By the roots; by the ground: (? orig. = from the foundation), completely.
c. 1420. Pallad. on Husb., I. 1132. Floure of lyme in oil, yf thou confounde And helde it in, upheleth it by grounde.
1713. Berkeley, Hylas & Phil., ii. If I were to … tear up a tree by the roots.
1833. Ht. Martineau, Briery Creek, ii. 26. They could pull up a tall tree by the roots.
c. To set by the ears: to set quarrelling. To be, fall, go by the ears (Sc. lugs): to quarrel.
1556. J. Heywood, Spider & F., lvi. 18. I thought they wold all haue gone by thears theare.
1600. O. E., Repl. Libel, I. i. 32. We must needes fall by the eares together.
1650. A. B., Mutat. Polemo, 8. Set the Cavaleer and Presbyter together by the ears.
1702. De Foe, Ref. Manners, I. 306. To set the Town together by the Ears.
1822. Scott, Nigel, x. The King, and the Prince, and the Duke have been by the lugs about ye.
29. After verbs of knowing, perceiving, calling, etc.; introducing that which serves as a sign or means of identification.
c. 1000. Ags. Gosp., Matt. vii. 20. Be hyra wæstmum ʓe hiʓ oncnawað.
c. 1200. Ormin, 479. Þatt ta bi name nemmnedd wass Abyuþþ.
1393. Langl., P. Pl., C. XVIII. 98. Shephurdes by the seuen sterres Wisten … whenne hit shoude reynen.
a. 1400. Cov. Myst., 297 (Mätz.). Be thi face wel we may the ken.
1562. J. Heywood, Prov. & Epigr. (1867), 202. I here by the hounds, the hare is a foote.
1596. Spenser, F. Q., VI. iii. 1. The gentle minde by gentle deeds is knowne.
1611. Bible, Luke i. 61. There is none of thy kinred that is called by this name.
1682. Wheler, Journ. Greece, V. 341. The Athenians … would never more have any Governour by the Name or Title of King.
1796. Gouv. Morris, in Sparks, Life & Writ. (1832), III. 98. That anarchy which goes by the name of the German Empire.
1867. Freeman, Norm. Conq. (1876), I. App. 692. Cnut was baptized by the name of Lambert.
b. In To understand by, mean by: see these verbs.
1382. Wyclif, Prol. Bible, xiv. 54. Bi Salamon here is vndirstonden God himself.
1692. Bp. Ely, Answ. Touchstone, 49. He … by the way understands that narrow way which he taught.
30. Introducing the means or instrumentality: = by means of. (OE. more usually employed fram, thurh, of). (The material instrument or tool is usually introduced by with: ‘to cut with a knife.’)
a. 1000. Scopes Widsið, 100. Ic be songe secʓan sceolde.
c. 1205. Lay., 28337. Ich wuste bi mine sweuene whæt sorȝen me weoren ȝeneðe.
c. 1300. K. Alis., 2941. That Y have by lettre yow saide.
c. 1340. Cursor M., 15986 (Trin.). He shal neuer rise aȝeyn truly bi no myȝt.
c. 1380. Wyclif, Sel. Wks., III. 302. Þes feyned religious … amortisen many grete lordischipis bi fals title.
c. 1450. Merlin, x. 156. Thei remounted Gifflet be fyn force a-monge his enmyes.
1548. Latimer, Serm. Ploughers (Arb.), 34. Christe … draweth soules unto hym by his bloudy sacrifice.
1548. Udall, etc., Erasm. Par., Mark i. 14. The firste teachyng by mouthe of Christes religion.
1573. G. Harvey, Letter-bk. (1884), 13. Nether to be allurid by prommissis nor persuadid bi wurds.
1628. Earle, Microcosm., iii. (Arb.), 4. Hee instructs men to dye by his example.
1769. Goldsm., Roman Hist. (1786), II. 475. He … at last died either by poison or madness.
1855. Kingsley, Glaucus (1878), 167. The bird’s foot star … you may see crawling by its thousand sucking feet. Ibid. (1866), Herew., Prel. 6. Trying to expiate by justice and mercy the dark deeds of his bloodstained youth.
b. In by coach, by ship, by rail, the idea of motion blends with that of means; cf. 11 c.
c. 1440. Partonope, 383. Be shipp come merchandyse to the town.
1535. Coverdale, Deut. ii. 28. Onely let me go thorow by fote.
1866. Cornh. Mag., XIII. 348. To go by coach in that direction is a sort of tempting of fortune.
c. By no ways (obs.), by no means: in no possible way, in no respect, in no degree. By all means: in every way possible. (These have gradually come to be used as strong expressions respectively of negation and affirmation.)
c. 1340. Cursor M., 12908 (Fairf.). Þat is na ferly be na wayes.
c. 1430. Freemasonry, 626. Ȝef thou wolt not thyselve pray, Latte non other mon by no way.
c. 1489. Caxton, Sonnes of Aymon, 235. By no wyse we maye not scape.
1593. Hooker, Eccl. Pol., Pref. ii. § 7. To argue and by all means to reason for it.
1713. Guardian, No. 140 (1756), II. 224. I can by no means consent to spoil the skin of my pretty country-women.
1768. Gray, in Corr. w. Nicholls (1843), 85. I would wish by all means to oblige and serve Temple.
1813. Jane Austen, Pride & Prej. (1846), 29. Jane was by no means better.
d. in numerous phrases, see 38.
31. With live: introducing both the food and the means of obtaining it. Also fig.
971. Blickl. Hom., 57. Þa gastlican lare … þe ure saul biʓ leofaþ.
a. 1000. Guthlac, 244. Bi hwon scealt þu lifʓan, þeah þu lond aʓe?
c. 1205. Lay., 467. Leouere heom his to libben bi þan wode-roten.
c. 1300. K. Alis., 4971. Hy … libben by the wylde goot.
1393. Langl., P. Pl., C. VI. 292. Ȝut were me leuere … lyue by well-carses.
1583. Stubbes, Anat. Abus., II. 89. The most of them … attempt … vnlawfull meanes to liue by.
1600. Shaks., A. Y. L., II. vii. 14. As I do liue by foode, I met a foole.
1611. Bible, Matt. iv. 4. Man shall not liue by bread alone.
1815. Scribbleomania, 217. Each pestle’s displayer who living by drugs, proves humanity’s slayer.
1880. Church, Spenser, iii. 52. No one in those days could live by poetry.
32. Introducing the intermediate or subordinate agent viewed as the medium or channel of action; = L. per, OE. þurh.
c. 1300. K. Alis., 4304. Darie hit wot by a spye.
c. 1325. Coer de L., 1522. Sche greetes the wel by me.
1382. Wyclif, John i. 3. Alle þingis ben maad bi [Gr. διὰ, L. per] him.
1393. Langl., P. Pl., C. IV. 417. God sente to saul by samuel þe prophete.
c. 1450. Merlin, i. 23. Thow hast herde be my moder the trauayle that they hadden.
1622. T. Stoughton, Chr. Sacrif., xvii. 239. Hath he more benefit by his horse then by his Minister?
1711. Steele, Spect., No. 118, ¶ 2. The Lady is addressed to, presented and flattered, only by Proxy, in her Woman.
1785. Henry, Hist. Gt. Brit., V. V. xxxviii. 382. The King could not … administer justice to his subjects in person, but only by his judges.
1833. Fraser’s Mag., VIII. 312. Send check by bearer.
1866. Rogers, Agric. & Prices, I. xxi. 527. The lord was present either in person or by a deputy.
b. in extended phrase by the hands of.
1411. E. E. Wills (1882), 17. Whiche somme ys owynge to me, to be payd … by þe handes of my lady lovell.
a. 1500. trans. Magna Charta, in Arnolde, Chron., 217. By the handis of his kynnes folk … his goodis shalbe destribute.
1534. Old City Acc. Bk., in Archæol. Jrnl., XLIII. Resuyd of mr grayn by the hands of mr hoxton v wrytyngs.
1866. Cornh. Mag., XIII. 692. The Doctor will kill him, by my hands.
c. In phrases To have children by, To be pregnant by, and the like.
a. 1000. Cædmon’s Gen., 2326 (Gr.). Þu scealt sunu aʓan, bearn be bryde þinre.
c. 1000. Ælfric, Gen. xxxviii. 25. Be þam men ic eom mid childe.
c. 1205. Lay., 19249. Ygærne wes mid childe bi Uther.
1297. R. Glouc., 23. Brut … sones hadde þre By hys wyf.
1393. Langl., P. Pl., C. XI. 144. And haþ fyue faire sones by hus furste wyf.
1576. Gascoigne, Steel Gl. (Arb.), 50. He begat me by Simplycitie.
1631. Gouge, God’s Arrows, III. ii. 183. Amalek was the sonne of Esaus sonne by a concubine.
1750. Johnson, Rambl., No. 22, ¶ 1. Wit and learning were the children of Apollo, by different mothers.
1788. J. Powell, Devises (1827), II. 351. The testator … had had several children by a native woman.
1805. East, Reports, V. 234. A bastard child … which a young woman had had by the defendant.
c. 1812. Jane Austen, Sense & Sens. (1846), 1. By a former marriage, Dashwood had one son.
33. Introducing the principal agent.
This, which has now become a main use of by, is hardly found before 15th c.; OE. used of, fram, ME. commonly of, which is still poetical, esp. with non-material verbs, as ‘he was beloved of all.’ Cf. Fr. use of de and par.
c. 1400. Maundev., iii. 15. That Cytee was destroyed by hem of Grece.
1461. J. Paston, Lett., 384. II. 3. Assigned be the commissioners.
1570–87. Holinshed, Scot. Chron., II. 52. Slaine miserablie in prison be … the duke Albanie.
1593. Hooker, Eccl. Pol., I. iii. § 2. A law natural to be observed by creatures.
1682. Wheler, Journ. Greece, I. 26. The Walls of it were built by Diocletian.
1785. Reid, Lett., Wks. I. 66/1. A malefactor is not hanged by the law, but according to the law, by the executioner.
1848. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., I. 31. It was among the articles which John was compelled by the Barons to sign.
Mod. By whom was the book written?
b. So with personal qualities and attributes, natural agencies, etc., treated as principal agents.
For usage as to by after particular verbs, see these.
1549. Bk. Com. Prayer, Pref. There was never anything by the wit of man so well devised … which hath not been corrupted.
1712. Addison, Spect., No. 333, ¶ 5. This is followed by the tearing up of mountains and promontories.
1757. Johnson, Rambl., No. 165, ¶ 2. Truth finds an easy entrance into the Mind when she is introduced by desire, and attended by pleasure.
1816. J. Wilson, City of Plague, I. i. 255. Swallow’d up in a moment by the heedless earth.
1844. Punch, 13 Jan., 27. Pipes and alcoholic liquors are superseded by matrimony.
1848. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., II. 263. Such a demand … was not authorised by the existing treaties.
1875. Browning, Aristoph. Apol., 99. Demonstrable By time, that tries things.
VI. Of circumstance, condition, manner, cause, reason. (Chiefly developments or weakenings of earlier senses.)
34. The physical circumstances of an action often become conditions more or less contributory or essential to its performance, and hence pass into the notion of aid or means, cf. ‘to walk by moonlight,’ ‘read by moonlight,’ ‘read by candle-light.’
(By day light closely approaches by day: see 19 b.)
a. 1000. Riddles, xxviii. 17 (Gr.). Ic … on eorðan swa esnas binde dole æfter dyntum be dæʓes leohte.
1154. O. E. Chron. (Laud MS.), an. 1138 § 2. Me lihtede candles to æten bi.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 14195. God es to go bi light o dai.
a. 1400[?]. Chester Pl. (1843), I. 4. Those wise Kinges three … by the starre that did shine, Sought the sighte of the Saviour.
1701. J. Cunningham, in Phil. Trans., XXIII. 1201. The Weather so favouring us, that we were never but by our Topsails.
1712. Addison, Spect., No. 409, ¶ 6. Seeing an Object by the Light of a Taper.
1872. ‘Mark Twain,’ Innoc. Abr., xii. 85. No gas to read by.
35. The sense of ‘means’ often passes into that of ‘attendant circumstances,’ and so approaches or reaches that of manner.
c. 1340. Cursor M., 18323 (Laud MS.). Alle that þou seidist by prophecy Thou hast fulle-fillid.
1483. Caxton, G. de la Tour, I ij. Thenne wente shee and told it to hym by … fayre and attemperate language. Ibid. (c. 1489), Sonnes of Aymon, 32. Reynawde … thwerled his swerde by grete fyersnesse.
1509. Hawes, Examp. Virt., ix. 161. Where byrdys sange by grete melody.
1523. Ld. Berners, Froiss., I. clxxvi. 214. By this manere was the stronge castell of Eureux won agayne.
1589. Puttenham, Eng. Poesie, III. xxii. (Arb.), 257. Wordes … written by wrong ortographie.
1677. Moxon, Mech. Exerc. (1703), 241. A great part of its increase goes away by a kind of Glass.
1765. Act 5 Geo. III., xxvi. Preamb., To hold to the said John … by liege homage.
1840. R. H. Dana, Bef. Mast, xi. 25. The halyards were at this moment let go by the run.
1875. Jowett, Plato (ed. 2), I. 350. The cause when heard went by default.
b. esp. in phrase to begin by, end by, etc., with gerund. (See further under these verbs.)
1684. Scanderbeg Rediv., vi. 150. The next Considerable Exploit of his Majesty … was, by taking of Zytchin.
1827. Hallam, Const. Hist. (1842), I. 151. Ministers who employ spies … are sure to … end by the most violent injustice and tyranny.
1839. Thirlwall, Greece, II. 76. He began by banishing 700 families.
1887. Gladstone, in Ho. Comm., 12 Sept. The right hon. gentleman the Secretary for Ireland sat down by saying that [etc.].
Mod. He finished by putting them all in the fire.
c. In By way of: as an instance of, as something tending or amounting to, somewhat under the form of. For full illustration see WAY.
c. 1400. Maundev., 199. The king ȝeveth leve to pore men … to gadre hem precyous stones and perles, be weye of ælmesse.
1762. Hume, Hist. Eng. (1806), V. lxx. 235. By way of pleasantry he [Jefferies] used to call them [the soldiers] his lambs.
36. The sense of ‘means’ sometimes approaches or passes into that of ‘cause’ or ‘reason’: Because of, on account of, in consequence of, through; in virtue of, on the ground of. † By so, by that: therefore.
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., IV. ix. (1495), 93. Though flewme of hymself be thicke and vnsauery by strengthe of heete.
1483. Caxton, G. de la Tour, H iij. Soone after by this synne he fylle. Ibid., Cato, G iv. And by so thou oughtest to be contente.
1540. Hyrde, Vives’ Instr. Chr. Wom. (1592), F v. He would haue women of his country to be regarded by their virtue.
1557. N. T. (Geneva), Matt. xxvi. 31. Al ye shalbe offended by me this nyght.
1593. Shaks., 3 Hen. VI., IV. iv. 12. Warwickes Brother, and by that our Foe.
1627. Feltham, Resolves, I. xxix. Wks. (1677), 49. A Hill almost unascendable, by the roughness of a craggy way.
1667. Pepys, Diary, 27 Aug. By the growth of his beard and gray hairs, I did not know him.
1771. Goldsm., Hist. Eng., III. 240. The press … swarmed with productions, dangerous by their sedition and calumny, more than by their eloquence or style.
1839. Thirlwall, Greece, IV. 263. In his house Protagoras was said to have read one of his works by which he incurred a charge of atheism.
b. in the conjunctive phrases Be þam þe, by that, by reason that, by reason: inasmuch as, because, since. Now only in full form by reason that.
c. 1175. Cott. Hom., 235. Be þam þe he fader is and laford he him self cwed be þe witie, Si ego [etc.].
a. 1536. Tindale, Exp. Matt., Wks. II. 128. By that they prophesied … and by that they cast out devils … it is plain that they be false prophets.
1558. Kennedy, Compend. Tract., in Wodr. Soc. Misc. (1844), 101. Be ressoun the Kirk … can nevir be gatherit togidder.
1601. F. Tate, Househ. Ord. Edw. II., § 10. He shal have no more, bi reson that he shal have cariage.
1606. Earl Northampton, in True & Perf. Relation (1606), R r 4 b. By that hee cals him virum mortis, I may lawfully conclude [etc.].
1682. Wheler, Journ. Greece, II. 203. Wine is scarce, by reason that it is prohibited.
1711. Steele, Spect., No. 2, ¶ 1. He keeps himself a Batchelor by reason he was crossed in Love.
37. In Book-keeping, placed before Credit entries; the person or account being made creditor by the amount entered.
1695. E. Hatton, Merch. Mag., 140. By all the Cash you receive, and deliver nothing for the same; as By Money received with an Apprentice; By Rebate for paying a Summ before due. Ibid., 169. By stock, £150.
1757. Chambers, Cycl., s.v. Book, Ledger Book. By Cash for his remittance on James £1900.
1838. R. Langford, Introd. Trade, 79. 1837 July 10 By remittance per W. Jackson £1000.
VII. In phrases.
38. By enters into a great number of phrases, which originated in one or other of the preceding uses, but are now used without analysis, and sometimes with such modification of meaning as to obliterate or obscure the force of the preposition. Such are a. adverbial, † by cas, by chance, by force, by guess, by hook or by crook, by might; and others for which an adverb might easily be substituted, as by consequence, † by cover (= covertly), † by matter in deed (? = as an actual fact), by metaphor, † by name (= especially), † by occasion, † by particular, by stealth. [Here Fr. has usually par.] See the various substantives.
1297. R. Glouc., 490. He vel of is palefrey, & brec is fot bi cas.
c. 1340. Cursor M., 10700 (Laud MS.). Vow that is made by right, Ow no man to breke by might.
1475. Bk. Noblesse, 31. Provided that … no man take vitaile beforce.
1544. Phaër, Regim. Lyfe (1560), R vij. Hitherto have I declined by occasion.
1565. in Sir J. Picton, L’pool Munic. Rec. (1883), I. 113. That no … person … succour by cover or operte, any apprentice.
1583. Stubbes, Anat. Abus., II. 22. Either by hooke or crooke, by night or day.
a. 1586. Answ. Cartwright, 17. He alleadgeth another proofe by peraduenture.
a. 1610. Babington, Wks. (1622), 257. This Manna followed the Israelites whatsoeuer the earth was: and by name in the wilderness.
1620. J. Wilkinson, Courts Leet, 117. These persons by particular are said to be by the statute rogues.
1660. Fuller, Mixt Contempl. (1841), 171. Ponderous, and by consequence probable to settle … on the earth.
1673. St. German’s Doctor & Stud., 338. It is not alledged in the Indictment by matter in deed that he had such weapon.
1697. Dryden, Virg. Georg., IV. 745. Some prying Churl had … thence, By Stealth, convey’d th’ unfeather’d Innocence.
1711. Steele, Spect., No. 145, ¶ 6. He snatches Kisses by Surprise.
1751. Jortin, Serm. (1771), V. v. 90. They might not imagine that the world was … made by chance.
1836. Landor, Pericles & Aspasia, Wks. 1846, II. 394/1. I am not speaking by metaphor and Asiatically.
1848. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., II. 649, note. I have therefore been forced to arrange them [the events] by guess.
b. prepositional, † by cause of, by chesun of, by colo(u)r of, by dint of, by the hands of, by means of, by reason of, by virtue of, by way of, etc. See under the various substantives.
c. 1380. Wyclif, Last Age Ch. (1840), 25. Bi resoun of whiche þe þridde tribulacioun schal entre into Cristis Chirche.
c. 1420. Avow. Arth., xxxii. Ther to-gedur faȝte we Be chesun of this lady fre.
1535. Coverdale, Tobit xi. 18. By reason of all the good that God had shewed vnto him.
c. 1555. Songs & Ball., Ph. & Mary (1860), 3. He hathe us up lyfft By the means of hys sonne callyd Emanuell.
1593. Shaks., Rich. III., I. iii. 78. Our Brother is imprison’d by your meanes. Ibid. (1597), 2 Hen. IV., IV. i. 128. All … That … by dint of Sword, Haue since miscarryed vnder Bullingbrooke.
1621. Elsing, Debates Ho. Lords (1870), 127. The Parlement is adjourned by virtue thereof [the Comission].
1664. Butler, Hud., II. ii. 736. Vict’ry gotten without Blows, By dint of sharp hard words.
1710. in Select. fr. Harl. Misc. (1793), 561. Edward Whitacre … hath, by colour of his employment received the sum of twenty-five thousand pounds.
1712. Addison, Spect., No. 523, ¶ 6. By virtue of that spectatorial authority with which I stand invested.
1728. Morgan, Algiers, I. iii. 32. Jugurtha … by Dint of Money, corrupted many of the Senators.
1737. L. Clarke, Hist. Bible, VIII. (1740), 496. By means thereof he took the City.
1864. Bryce, Holy Rom. Emp., 99. It was chiefly by means of the Papacy that this came to pass.
1876. Blackmore, Cripps, I. ii. 23. Quite out of sight … by reason of the bend of the hollow.
1881. R. Buchanan, God & the Man, I. 111. The widow—by dint of strict parsimony, had saved a trifle.
39. Phrases occurring under preceding senses: By and beside 5, 7; by common, by ordinar 7; by day, etc. 19 b; by no means, ways 30 c; by one’s self 4, 8 b; by so, by that 23 d, 36; by that, by reason that 36 b; by the by, by the way 12 b; by wholesale, degrees, etc. 24, 25.
B. adv.
Forms: [1 bí, biʓ], 4 bi, (4–6 bie, 5–8, 9 (dial.) bye, 4– by. In OE. the instances of the adv. may all be treated (from the modern point of view) either as prefixes to a verb, or as prepositions following their object.
1. Of position: Near, close at hand, in another’s presence or immediate neighborhood; occas. after verbal sbs., as in dweller by, stander by, Naut. phr. Stand by! = be ready. See BY- in comb. 2 a.
[c. 993. Battle of Maldon, 182. Beʓen ða beornas þe him biʓ stodon.]
c. 1340. Cursor M., 14282 (Trin.). Men say hir þat bi stood Rennonde.
c. 1425. Wyntoun, Cron., VIII. xl. 93. Oþir Lordis, þat war by.
1463. Bury Wills (1850), 35. If any bedrede man or woman ly by.
1526. Tindale, John xi. 42. Because of the people that stonde by I sayde it.
1602. Return fr. Parnass., III. iii. (Arb.), 43. He thinkes hee hath gulld the standers by sufficiently.
1623. Massinger, Dk. of Milan, II. i. My brother being not by now to protect her.
1732. Berkeley, Alciphr., I. § 15. Methinks you sit by very tamely.
1834. Marryat, P. Simple, III. 101. Stand by to haul over the boom-sheet when she pays off.
1861. Flor. Nightingale, Nursing, 39. Patients are often accused of being able to ‘do much more when nobody is by.’
1867. Smyth, Sailor’s Word-bk., Stand by! the order to be prepared.
b. preceded by fast, hard, near. Also transferred to the idea of time.
c. 1400. Maundev., viii. 93. Faste by, is ȝit the Tree of Eldre, that Judas henge him self upon.
1580. Baret, Alv., B 631. Here is a little towne or village harde bie to flie vnto.
1795. Southey, Joan of Arc, I. cliv. Domremi’s cottages Gleam’d in the sun hard by.
1866. Kingsley, Herew., i. (1877), 20. He founded Boston near by.
c. 1385. Chaucer, L. G. W., 2604. The aray is wrought, the tyme is faste by.
1535. Coverdale, Isa. li. 5. It is hard by, that my health and my rightuousness shal go forth.
c. following a sb. in sense lying, living, situate close or hard by. Not now used alone. Also in fig. expressions.
c. 1470. Henry, Wallace, I. 50. Bruce [clamyt as] fyrst male of the secund gre by.
1475. Caxton, Jason, 41 b. Thauncient knight that was loggid in that other bedde by might not slepe. Ibid., 52. Alle the nobles … of the countrees by and adjacent.
1588. Shaks., L. L. L., V. ii. 94. I stole into a neighbour thicket by.
1627. J. Carter, Expos., 54. Dead in trespasses and sinnes, or next doore by.
d. Naut. By and large: to the wind (within six points; cf. A. 9) and off it. Full and by: sailing close-hauled to the wind. (Adm. Smyth.)
1627. Capt. Smith, Seaman’s Gram., ix. (1692), 42. Fill the Sails, keep full, full and by.
1628. Digby, Voy. Medit. (1868), 83. Your chace goeth best before the wind, and … you can out beare her, by.
1669. Sturmy, Mariner’s Mag., 17. Thus you see the ship handled in fair weather and foul, by and learge.
1833. Fraser’s Mag., VIII. 158. They soon find out one another’s rate of sailing, by and large.
1881. W. C. Russell, Ocean Free-Lance, I. vi. 265. They held on after us nevertheless, sailing full and bye.
2. Aside, out of the way; out of use or consideration. To put, set or lay by: to put aside from use, set aside, discard; (more recently) to put aside from present use, so as to reserve for the future. To put by: also (obs.) to turn from one’s purpose; cf. A. 16 c.
c. 1425. Wyntoun, Cron., VIII. iv. 253. For Custwme approwyd oft by drawys Of Canon and Cyvyle bath the Lawys.
1535. Stewart, Cron. Scot., II. 222. This ȝoung Arthure … Tha crownit king and put the richt air bye. Ibid., 339. All kynd of armour in that place cast by.
a. 1586. Answ. Cartwright, 6. He must … laye by his proofe as vntrue.
1595. Shaks., John, IV. iii. 95. Stand by, or I shall gaul you Faulconbridge.
1614. W. B., Philos. Banquet (ed. 2), Pref. 4. Age might be kept backe, and sicknesse kept bye.
1634. Bayne, On Coloss., 344. What a Pride is it, for some ignorant Schollar to put by the direction of his Tutor.
1655. H. L’Estrange, Chas. I, 125. Some thing or other ever came travers … and put him by.
1721. De Foe, Mem. Cavalier (1840), 311. They had set by the lords for not agreeing to it.
1731. Swift, Corr., II. 701. These things can lie by till you come to carp at them.
1766. Goldsm., Vic. W., xx. Vile things that nature designed should be thrown by into her lumber room.
1807. Windham, Speeches Parl. (1812), III. 19. Laying something by for a rainy day.
1867. Froude, Short Stud. (ed. 2), 161. Neither party is entitled to say … ‘Stand by, I am holier than thou.’
b. Naut. To lie (lay) by: (a.) to come almost to a stand, either by backing sail or by leaving only enough sail to keep the vessel’s head straight; = modern phrase lie to; also transf.; (b.) to dodge under small sail under the land (Adm. Smyth).
1613. Shaks., Hen. VIII., III. i. 11. The Billowes of the Sea, Hung their heads, and then lay by.
1674. Petty, Disc. bef. Royal Soc., 102. To stop Leaks afore, the Ship must stop its motion, lye by, or bear up.
1704. Lond. Gaz., No. 4054/1. We lay by all day … repairing our Defects.
1753. Hanway, Trav., I. II. xvi. 72. We were obliged to lay-by in the night.
3. Of motion: Past a certain point, beyond. Also transferred to time; cf. BY- in comb. 2 b.
[c. 950. Lindisf. Gosp., Mark xv. 21. Geneddon bi geongende [Rushw. bigongende].
a. 1400[?]. Morte Arth. (1847), 233. Ffloridas with a swerde, as he by glenttys, Alle the flesche of the flanke he flappes in sondyre.
c. 1425. Wyntoun, Cron., VIII. xviii. 186. Thai persawyd by gangand A man.
1535. Coverdale, 2 Sam. xvi. 1. Dauid was gone a lytle by from the toppe of the mount.
1606. B. Jonson, Barriers, Wks. 1870, III. 34. They marched by in pairs.
1766. Goldsm., Vic. W., xxi. A stage coach happening to pass by.
1844. Disraeli, Coningsby, I. iii. 14. The days are gone by for senates to have their beards plucked in the forum.
† 4. In addition, besides, also. Obs. (Cf. Sc. for-by) By (and) attour, see ATOUR.
1436. Pol. Poems (1859), II. 185. Thys coloure … muste be seyde alofte, And by declared of the grete fulle ofte.
a. 1440. Sir Degrev., 223. Tene score knythis … And iii hondred archerus by.
1600. in Farr’s S. P. (1845), II. 435. Onlesse my seruice be employed by.
1653. Holcroft, Procopius, I. 15. He might spend less wood, and wages upon bakers, & by gain the weight.
1763. C. Johnston, Reverie, I. 143. For a guinea by.
1804. Illust. Lond. News, 21 Aug. (1886), 194. The Gallant and Spirited Race run … for 500 guineas, and 1000 guineas bye, between Mrs. Thornton and Mr. Flint.
