nearness

  • 131By — (b[imac]), prep. [OE. bi, AS. b[=i], big, near to, by, of, from, after, according to; akin to OS. & OFries. bi, be, D. bij, OHG. b[=i], G. bei, Goth. bi, and perh. Gr. amfi . E. prefix be is orig. the same word. [root]203. See pref. {Be }.] 1. In …

    The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • 132By all means — By By (b[imac]), prep. [OE. bi, AS. b[=i], big, near to, by, of, from, after, according to; akin to OS. & OFries. bi, be, D. bij, OHG. b[=i], G. bei, Goth. bi, and perh. Gr. amfi . E. prefix be is orig. the same word. [root]203. See pref. {Be }.] …

    The Collaborative International Dictionary of English