by

//baɪ//
A1Frequency Level 1Neutral
Visual representation of by

Preposition

1

Near or next to; beside.

She sat by the window.

2

Through the means, action, or agency of; via.

I sent the package by mail.

3

Not later than; at or before a specified time.

Please finish your homework by 5 p.m.

4

Past; beyond in position.

I walked by the store.

5

According to; in accordance with.

By the rules, we must finish by 5 PM.

6

In units or measurements of; multiplied with (in dimensions).

The room is 4 meters by 3 meters.

7

During; in the course of.

I'll finish this work by noon.

Adverb

1

Past; beyond a point in time or space.

The train went by without stopping.

2

Near; in the vicinity.

I'll stop by later.

Synonym

Noun

1

A pass or bye; an automatic advancement in a tournament when an opponent is absent.

Our team got a by in the first round because the other team didn't show up.