(prep.) In front of; preceding in space; ahead of; as, to stand before the fire; before the house.
(prep.) Preceding in time; earlier than; previously to; anterior to the time when; -- sometimes with the additional idea of purpose; in order that.
(prep.) An advance of; farther onward, in place or time.
(prep.) Prior or preceding in dignity, order, rank, right, or worth; rather than.
(prep.) In presence or sight of; face to face with; facing.
(prep.) Under the cognizance or jurisdiction of.
(prep.) Open for; free of access to; in the power of.
(adv.) On the fore part; in front, or in the direction of the front; -- opposed to in the rear.
(adv.) In advance.
(adv.) In time past; previously; already.
(adv.) Earlier; sooner than; until then.
Example Sentences:
By
Definition:
(pref.) In the neighborhood of; near or next to; not far from; close to; along with; as, come and sit by me.
(pref.) On; along; in traversing. Compare 5.
(pref.) Near to, while passing; hence, from one to the other side of; past; as, to go by a church.
(pref.) Used in specifying adjacent dimensions; as, a cabin twenty feet by forty.
(pref.) Against.
(pref.) With, as means, way, process, etc.; through means of; with aid of; through; through the act or agency of; as, a city is destroyed by fire; profit is made by commerce; to take by force.
(adv.) Near; in the neighborhood; present; as, there was no person by at the time.
(adv.) Passing near; going past; past; beyond; as, the procession has gone by; a bird flew by.
(adv.) Aside; as, to lay by; to put by.
(a.) Out of the common path; aside; -- used in composition, giving the meaning of something aside, secondary, or incidental, or collateral matter, a thing private or avoiding notice; as, by-line, by-place, by-play, by-street. It was formerly more freely used in composition than it is now; as, by-business, by-concernment, by-design, by-interest, etc.