Dictionary

by and by en · ADV

Etymology

From Middle English by and by (“side by side, close together, alongside, on and on, continually, again and again, repeatedly”), equivalent to by + and + by.

Meanings

1. (not-comparable) After a short time.
   • a. 1822, Percy Bysshe Shelley "On the Symposium, or Preface to the Banquet of Plato" "You are laughing at me, Socrates," said Agathon, "but you and I will decide this controversy about wisdom by and by, taking Bacchus for our judge. At present turn to your supper."
   • Two anons and a by and by is an hour and a half. 1636, William Camden with John Philipot, Remaines concerning Britaine, their languages, names, surnames, 5th edition:
   • I'll never beat you, I never lie / And if you're evil, I'll forgive you by and by, 'cause / You, I would die for you, yeah / Darling, if you want me to 1984 November 28, Prince, “I Would Die 4 U”, in Purple Rain, performed by Prince and the Revolution, track 7:
   • O, how this spring of love resembleth The uncertain glory of an April day Which now shows all the beauty of the sun, And by and by a cloud takes all away! 1591, William Shakespeare, Two Gentlemen of Verona:
2. (not-comparable) After an indefinite period.
   • She said herself She would forgive him, by and by, not now — For her own sake then, if not for mine — not now —- But by and by. 1882, Alfred Tennyson, The Promise of May:
   • Will the circle be unbroken by and by, by and by? Is a better home awaiting in the sky, in the sky? 1907, “Will the Circle Be Unbroken?”, Ada R. Habershon (lyrics), Charles H. Gabriel (music):
   • Sit down, have a rest, and by and by you'll be feeling better.
3. (not-comparable, obsolete) Immediately; at once.
   • When […] persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended. 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Matthew 13:21:

Forms

Descendants

bambai · baebae · bambae · baimbai · bumbai

Synonyms

stat · in due course (after an indefinite period) · sooner or later · now (immediately) · shortly (after a short time) · soon

Translations (17)

mi tāia (at an indefinite time in the future) · wyi muluku (at an indefinite time in the future) · nv hodíinaʼgo (at an indefinite time in the future) · mi tāria te wā (at an indefinite time in the future) · tr zamanla (at an indefinite time in the future) · ru постепе́нно (at an indefinite time in the future) · mi taro ake (at an indefinite time in the future) · wyi paRa-paRa (at an indefinite time in the future) · chr ᎤᏩᎫᏗᏗᏒ (at an indefinite time in the future) · ru впоследствии (at an indefinite time in the future) · mi taihoa ake (at an indefinite time in the future) · mi taihoa (at an indefinite time in the future) · mi tākaro (at an indefinite time in the future) · mi taro kau iho (at an indefinite time in the future) · ru со временем (at an indefinite time in the future) · mi tāria (at an indefinite time in the future) · ga ar ball (at an indefinite time in the future)

by and by en · NOUN

Etymology

From Middle English by and by (“side by side, close together, alongside, on and on, continually, again and again, repeatedly”), equivalent to by + and + by.

Meanings

1. (uncountable) Heaven; the hereafter. Usually preceded with "the sweet."
   • In the sweet by and by We shall meet on that beautiful shore. c. 1868, Joseph Webster, “The Sweet By-and-By”:
   • I'm sorry ma'am, but your cat's gone on to the sweet by and by.

Forms

Synonyms

spirit world · other side · sweet hereafter: see also Thesaurus:afterlife

Translations (3)

ru мир ино́й (heaven; the hereafter) · ru тот свет (heaven; the hereafter) · tr öbür dünya (heaven; the hereafter)