By
/baɪ/
prepositionBeginnerVery CommonGeneral
Meanings
Questions
Definitions
2 meanings1
Near, next to, at the side of; through the means of; as a result of; done by.
/baɪ/
prepositionneutralBeginner
General
Expressing proximity, agency, or means.
The cake was made by my sister.
💡 Simply: Near or because of.
More Examples
2
I went to the store by car.
3
He was surprised by the news.
How It's Used
General
"The book is by the window."
Agency
"The house was built by John."
Means
"She travels by train."
2
Past; near; close to.
/baɪ/
adverbneutralBeginner
General
Passing near, close to, or past.
The car drove by quickly.
💡 Simply: Going past something.
More Examples
2
She walked by and smiled.
How It's Used
General
"He walked by without noticing me."
Tip:Think of going 'past' something.
From Old English *bī, *bi, meaning "near, beside, at," related to Old High German bi, Old Norse við, and ultimately to Proto-Indo-European *bhi-.
The word 'by' has maintained a consistent usage across centuries, evolving from its Old English roots to modern English, showing versatility across different grammatical functions.