- [表示空间关系]靠近，在…附近，在…旁边：
to stand by the wall
站在墙边
a house by a river
河畔的房子
- 在…身边；在…手头：
I have got some money by me.
我身边有些钱。
- [表示时间关系]
- [表示运动的方向]：
- [表示努力的方向，表示关系]对，对于，对待：
to do well by a friend
待朋友好
She did well by her child.
她待孩子好。
- [表示方法、方式、手段或媒介，表示行为者是谁或起作用的事物是什么]靠，用，通过，被，由：
I know her by sight.
我与她只是面熟(并不熟识)。
gained by fraud
靠欺诈得到
made by hand
手工制的
The book was published by the Commercial Press.
该书由商务印书馆出版。
He read a novel by Chales Dickens.
他看一部由狄更斯写的小说。
- [表示方式、式样]
- [表示允许、许可、同意、批准]蒙…的许可；认可，批准：
by your leave
请允许我；对不起
- [用作虚词表示尺寸、长度、面积]
- [表示传递、交通等的方式]
He arrived by air.
他坐飞机到达了。
They went by ship.
他们坐船去。
She came by the highway.
她从公路来。
- [表示原因]由于，因：
They won the game by forfeit.
他们因怕受罚而赢得了那场比赛。
I met her by chance.
我偶然碰到她。
- 按…计算：
I am paid by the month.
我按月领工资
Grains are sold by the bushel.
谷物论蒲式耳出售。
- [表示程度、数量等]以…之差：
She's taller than her younger brother by two inches.
她比她小弟高两英寸。
The new boat is larger than the old one by a great deal.
新船比旧船大得多。
- 就(出生、职业、本性等)来说：
He was very generous by nature.
他生性慷慨大方。
- 由…所生：
Mary had a son by Harry.
玛丽给哈里生了一个儿子。
- (哺乳动物)以…为种畜，以…为父亲：
John II by John
约翰二世为约翰之子
- 以(神)的名义，凭，对(或当)着…(发誓)：
to swear by all that is sacred
当着一切神圣的东西发誓
- [主苏格兰英语]与…相比
- 到，来(串门，访问)：
Drop by my home this evening.
今晚到我家来谈谈。
- [美国口语]在…地方：
I'll give you a dinner by that restaurant.
我到那家餐馆去请你吃顿饭。
- [口语]依…之见，就…看来：
By her own account she was in New York at the time.
据她自己说，她当时在纽约。