English Sentence Analyser

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it
1. pron. The third-person singular personal pronoun that is normally used to refer to an inanimate object or abstract entity, also often used to refer to animals.
Put it over there.
Take each day as it comes.
I heard the sound of the school bus - it was early today.
2. pron. A third-person singular personal pronoun used to refer to a child, especially of unknown gender.
She took the baby and held it in her arms.
3. pron. Used to refer to someone being identified, often on the phone, but not limited to this situation.
It's me. John.
Is it her?
4. pron. The impersonal pronoun, used without referent as the subject of an impersonal verb or statement. (known as the dummy pronoun or weather it)
It is nearly 10 o’clock.
It’s 10:45 read ten-forty-five.
It’s very cold today.
It’s lonely without you.
5. pron. The impersonal pronoun, used without referent in various short idioms.
stick it out
live it up
rough it
6. pron. The impersonal pronoun, used as a placeholder for a delayed subject, or less commonly, object; known as the dummy pronoun or, more formally in linguistics, a syntactic expletive. The delayed subject i
It is easy to see how she would think that. (with the infinitive clause headed by to see)
I find it odd that you would say that. (with the noun clause introduced by that)
It is hard seeing you so sick. (with the gerund seeing)
He saw to it that everyone would vote for him. (with the noun clause introduced by that)
It is not clear if the report was true. (with the noun clause introduced by if)
7. pron. All or the end; something after which there is no more.
Are there more students in this class, or is this it?
That's it—I'm not going to any more candy stores with you.
8. pron. (chiefly pejorative, offensive) A third-person singular personal pronoun used to refer to an animate referent who is transgender or is neither female nor male.
9. pron. (obsolete) (Followed by an omitted and understood relative pronoun): That which; what.
10. det. (obsolete) its
11. n. One who is neither a he nor a she; a creature; a dehumanized being.
12. n. The person who chases and tries to catch the other players in the playground game of tag.
In the next game, Adam and Tom will be it…
13. n. (British) The game of tag.
Let's play it at breaktime.
14. n. Sex appeal, especially that which goes beyond beauty.
15. n. (euphemism) Sexual activity.
caught them doing it
16. adj. (colloquial) Most fashionable.
really
1. adv. (literal) In a way or manner that is real, not unreal.
2. adv. (modal) Actually; in fact; in reality.
"He really is a true friend." / "Really? What makes you so sure?".
3. adv. (informal, as an intensifier) Very (modifying an adjective); very much (modifying a verb).
But ma, I really, really want to go to the show!
4. interj. Indicating surprise at, or requesting confirmation of, some new information; to express skepticism.
A: He won the Nobel Prize yesterday.
B: Really?
5. interj. (colloquial, sarcastic, typically exaggerated question.) Indicating that what was just said was obvious and unnecessary; contrived incredulity
A: I've just been reading Shakespeare - he's one of the best authors like, ever!
B: Really.
6. interj. (colloquial, chiefly US) Indicating affirmation, agreement.
A: That girl talks about herself way too much.
B: Really. She's a nightmare.
7. interj. Indicating displeasure at another person's behaviour or statement.
Well, really! How rude.
8. v. Alternative form of re-ally
very
1. adj. True, real, actual.
The fierce hatred of a very woman. The very blood and bone of our grammar. He tried his very best.
2. adj. The same; identical.
He proposed marriage in the same restaurant, at the very table where they first met. That's the very tool that I need.
3. adj. With limiting effect: mere.
4. adv. To a great extent or degree; extremely; exceedingly.
You’re drinking very slowly.
That dress is very you.
5. adv. True, truly.
6. adv. (with superlatives) (ngd, Used to firmly establish that nothing else surpasses in some respect.)
He was the very best runner there.
difficult
1. adj. Hard, not easy, requiring much effort.
However, the difficult weather conditions will ensure Yunnan has plenty of freshwater.
2. adj. (often of a, person, or a horse, etc) Hard to manage, uncooperative, troublesome.
Stop being difficult and eat your broccoli—you know it's good for you.
3. adj. (obsolete) Unable or unwilling.
4. v. (obsolete, transitive) To make difficult; to impede; to perplex.
to
1. part. A particle used for marking the following verb as an infinitive.
I want to leave.
He asked me what to do.
I don’t know how to say it.
I have places to go and people to see.
2. part. As above, with the verb implied.
"Did you visit the museum?" "I wanted to, but it was closed.".
If he hasn't read it yet, he ought to.
3. part. A particle used to create phrasal verbs.
I have to do laundry today.
4. prep. Indicating destination: In the direction of, and arriving at.
We are walking to the shop.
5. prep. Used to indicate purpose.
He devoted himself to education.
They drank to his health.
6. prep. Used to indicate result of action.
His face was beaten to a pulp.
7. prep. Used after an adjective to indicate its application.
similar to ..., relevant to ..., pertinent to ..., I was nice to him, he was cruel to her, I am used to walking.
8. prep. (obsolete,) As a.
With God to friend (with God as a friend); with The Devil to fiend (with the Devil as a foe); lambs slaughtered to lake (lambs slaughtered as a sacrifice); t
9. prep. (arithmetic) Used to indicate a ratio or comparison.
one to one = 1:1
ten to one = 10:1.
I have ten dollars to your four.
10. prep. (arithmetic) Used to indicate that the preceding term is to be raised to the power of the following value; indicates exponentiation.
Three squared or three to the second power is nine.
Three to the power of two is nine.
Three to the second is nine.
11. prep. Used to indicate the indirect object.
I gave the book to him.
12. prep. (time) Preceding.
ten to ten = 9:50; We're going to leave at ten to (the hour).
13. prep. Used to describe what something consists of or contains.
Anyone could do this job; there's nothing to it.
There's a lot of sense to what he says.
14. prep. (Canada, UK, Newfoundland, West Midlands) At.
Stay where you're to and I'll come find you, b'y.
15. adv. Toward a closed, touching or engaging position.
Please push the door to.
16. adv. (nautical) Into the wind.
17. adv. misspelling of too
bring
1. v. To transport toward somebody/somewhere.
Waiter, please bring me a single malt whiskey.
2. v. (transitive, figuratively) To supply or contribute.
The new company director brought a fresh perspective on sales and marketing.
3. v. To raise (a lawsuit, charges, etc.) against somebody.
4. v. To persuade; to induce; to draw; to lead; to guide.
5. v. To produce in exchange; to sell for; to fetch.
What does coal bring per ton?
6. v. (baseball) To pitch, often referring to a particularly hard thrown fastball.
The closer Jones can really bring it.
7. interj. The sound of a telephone ringing.
8. interj. cln, en, basic words, irregular verbs, onomatopoeias
about
1. prep. In a circle around; all round; on every side of; on the outside of.
2. prep. Near; not far from; approximately; regarding time, size, quantity.
3. prep. On the point or verge of.
the show is about to start; I am not about to admit to your crime
4. prep. On one's person; nearby the person.
5. prep. Over or upon different parts of; through or over in various directions; here and there in; to and fro in; throughout.
6. prep. Concerned with; engaged in; intent on.
7. prep. Concerning; with regard to; on account of; on the subject of; to affect.
He knew more about what was occurring than anyone.
8. prep. (figurative) In or near, as in mental faculties or (literally) in possession of; in control of; at one's command; in one's makeup.
He has his wits about him.
9. prep. In the immediate neighborhood of; in contiguity or proximity to; near, as to place.
10. adv. Not distant; approximate.
11. adv. On all sides; around.
12. adv. Here and there; around; in one place and another; up and down.
13. adv. Nearly; approximately; with close correspondence, in quality, manner, degree, quantity, or time; almost.
about as cold; about as high
14. adv. Near; in the vicinity.
15. adv. In succession; one after another; in the course of events.
16. adv. On the move; active; astir.
17. adv. To a reversed order; half round; facing in the opposite direction; from a contrary point of view.
to face about; to turn oneself about
18. adv. (nautical) To the opposite tack.
19. adv. (obsolete) Preparing; planning.
20. adv. (archaic) In circuit; circularly; by a circuitous way; around the outside; in circumference.
a mile about, and a third of a mile across
21. adv. (chiefly North America, colloquial) Going to; on the verge of; intending to.
22. adj. Moving around; astir.
out and about; up and about
After my bout with Guillan-Barre Syndrome, it took me 6 months to be up and about again.
23. adj. In existence; being in evidence; apparent
that
1. conj. Introducing a clause which is the subject or object of a verb (such as one involving reported speech), or which is a complement to a previous statement.
He told me that the book is a good read.
I believe that it is true. — She is convinced that he is British.
2. conj. Introducing a subordinate clause expressing a reason or cause: because, in that.
Be glad that you have enough to eat.
3. conj. (now uncommon) Introducing a subordinate clause that expresses an aim, purpose or goal ("final"), and usually contains the auxiliaries may, might or should: so, so that.
4. conj. Introducing — especially, but not exclusively, with an antecedent like so or such — a subordinate clause expressing a result, consequence or effect.
The noise was so loud that she woke up.
The problem was sufficiently important that it had to be addressed.
5. conj. (archaic, or poetic) Introducing a premise or supposition for consideration: seeing as; inasmuch as; given that; as would appear from the fact that.
6. conj. Introducing a subordinate clause modifying an adverb.
Was John there? — Not that I saw.
How often did she visit him? — Twice that I saw.
7. conj. Introducing an exclamation expressing a desire or wish.
8. conj. Introducing an exclamation expressing a strong emotion such as sadness or surprise.
9. det. The (thing, person, idea, etc) indicated or understood from context, especially if more remote physically, temporally or mentally than one designated as "this", or if expressing distinction.
That book is a good read. This one isn't.
That battle was in 1450.
That cat of yours is evil.
10. pron. (demonstrative) The thing, person, idea, quality, event, action or time indicated or understood from context, especially if more remote geographically, temporally or mentally than one designated as "t
He went home, and after that I never saw him again.
11. pron. The known (thing); (used to refer to something just said).
They're getting divorced. What do you think about that?
12. pron. (demonstrative) The aforementioned quality; used together with a verb and pronoun to emphatically repeat a previous statement.
The water is so cold! — That it is.
13. pron. (relative) (plural that) Which, who; (representing a subject, direct object, indirect object, or object of a preposition).
The CPR course that she took really came in handy.
The house that he lived in was old and dilapidated.
14. pron. (colloquial) (Used in place of relative adverbs such as where or when; often omitted.)
the place that = where or to which I went last year
the last time that = when I went to Europe
15. adv. (degree) To a given extent or degree.
"The ribbon was that thin." "I disagree, I say it was not that thin, it was thicker... or maybe thinner...".
16. adv. (degree) To a great extent or degree; very, particularly (in negative constructions).
I'm just not that sick.
I did the run last year, and it wasn't that difficult.
17. adv. (obsolete, outside, dialects) To such an extent; so. (in positive constructions).
Ooh, I was that happy I nearly kissed her.
18. n. (philosophy) Something being indicated that is there; one of those.
sort
1. n. A general type.
2. n. Manner; form of being or acting.
3. n. (obsolete) Condition above the vulgar; rank.
4. n. (dated) Group, company.
5. n. (informal) A person evaluated in a certain way (bad, good, strange, etc.).
This guy's a decent sort.
6. n. (Australia, informal) A good-looking woman.
7. n. An act of sorting.
I had a sort of my cupboard.
8. n. (computing) An algorithm for sorting a list of items into a particular sequence.
Popular sorts include quicksort and heapsort.
9. n. (typography) A piece of metal type used to print one letter, character, or symbol in a particular size and style.
10. n. (mathematics) A type.
11. n. (obsolete) Chance; lot; destiny.
12. n. (obsolete) A pair; a set; a suit.
13. v. To separate according to certain criteria.
14. v. To arrange into some order, especially numerically, alphabetically or chronologically.
15. v. (British) To fix a problem, to handle a task; to sort out.
16. v. To conjoin; to put together in distribution; to class.
17. v. (intransitive) To join or associate with others, especially with others of the same kind or species; to agree.
18. v. (intransitive) To suit; to fit; to be in accord; to harmonize.
19. v. (transitive, obsolete) To conform; to adapt; to accommodate.
20. v. (transitive, obsolete) To choose from a number; to select; to cull.
of
1. prep. Expressing distance or motion.
2. prep. (now obsolete, or dialectal) From (of distance, direction), "off".
3. prep. (obsolete except in phrases) Since, from (a given time, earlier state etc.).
4. prep. From, away from (a position, number, distance etc.).
There are no shops within twenty miles of the cottage.
5. prep. (North America, Scotland, Ireland) Before (the hour); to.
What's the time? / Nearly a quarter of three.
6. prep. Expressing separation.
7. prep. (Indicating removal, absence or separation, with the action indicated by a transitive verb and the quality or substance by a grammatical object.)
Finally she was relieved of the burden of caring for her sick husband.
8. prep. (Indicating removal, absence or separation, with resulting state indicated by an adjective.)
He seemed devoid of human feelings.
9. prep. (obsolete) (Indicating removal, absence or separation, construed with an intransitive verb.)
10. prep. Expressing origin.
11. prep. (Indicating an ancestral source or origin of descent.)
The word is believed to be of Japanese origin.
12. prep. (Indicating a (non-physical) source of action or emotion; introducing a cause, instigation); from, out of, as an expression of.
The invention was born of necessity.
13. prep. (following an intransitive verb) (Indicates the source or cause of the verb.)
It is said that she died of a broken heart.
14. prep. (following an adjective) (Indicates the subject or cause of the adjective.)
I am tired of all this nonsense.
15. prep. Expressing agency.
16. prep. (following a passive verb) (Indicates the agent (for most verbs, now usually expressed with by).)
I am not particularly enamoured of this idea.
17. prep. (Used to introduce the "subjective genitive"; following a noun to form the head of a postmodifying noun phrase) (see also 'Possession' senses below).
The contract can be terminated at any time with the agreement of both parties.
18. prep. (following an adjective) (Used to indicate the agent of something described by the adjective.)
It was very brave of you to speak out like that.
19. prep. Expressing composition, substance.
20. prep. (after a verb expressing construction, making etc.) (Used to indicate the material or substance used.)
Many 'corks' are now actually made of plastic.
21. prep. (directly following a noun) (Used to indicate the material of the just-mentioned object.)
She wore a dress of silk.
22. prep. (Indicating the composition of a given collective or quantitative noun.)
What a lot of nonsense!
23. prep. (Used to link a given class of things with a specific example of that class.)
Welcome to the historic town of Harwich.
24. prep. (Links two nouns in near-apposition, with the first qualifying the second); "which is also".
I'm not driving this wreck of a car.
25. prep. Introducing subject matter.
26. prep. (Links an intransitive verb, or a transitive verb and its subject (especially verbs to do with thinking, feeling, expressing etc.), with its subject-ma
I'm always thinking of you.
27. prep. (following a noun (now chiefly nouns of knowledge, communication etc.)) (Introduces its subject matter); about, concerning.
He told us the story of his journey to India.
28. prep. (following an adjective) (Introduces its subject matter.)
This behaviour is typical of teenagers.
29. prep. Having partitive effect.
30. prep. (following a number or other quantitive word) (Introduces the whole for which is indicated only the specified part or segment); "from among".
Most of these apples are rotten.
31. prep. (following a noun) (Indicates a given part.)
32. prep. (now archaic, literary, with preceding partitive word assumed, or as a predicate after to be) Some, an amount of, one of.
On the whole, they seem to be of the decent sort.
33. prep. (Links to a genitive noun or possessive pronoun, with partitive effect (though now often merged with possessive senses, below).)
He is a friend of mine.
34. prep. Expressing possession.
35. prep. Belonging to, existing in, or taking place in a given location, place or time. Compare "origin" senses, above.
He was perhaps the most famous scientist of the twentieth century.
36. prep. Belonging to (a place) through having title, ownership or control over it.
The owner of the nightclub was arrested.
37. prep. Belonging to (someone or something) as something they possess or have as a characteristic; (the "possessive genitive". (With abstract nouns, this inter
Keep the handle of the saucepan away from the flames.
38. prep. Forming the "objective genitive".
39. prep. (Follows an agent noun, verbal noun or noun of action.)
She had a profound distrust of the police.
40. prep. Expressing qualities or characteristics.
41. prep. (now archaic, or literary) (Links an adjective with a noun or noun phrase to form a quasi-adverbial qualifier); in respect to, as regards.
My companion seemed affable and easy of manner.
42. prep. (Indicates a quality or characteristic); "characterized by".
Pooh was said to be a bear of very little brain.
43. prep. (Indicates quantity, age, price, etc.)
We have been paying interest at a rate of 10%.
44. prep. (US, informal considered incorrect by some) (Used to link singular indefinite nouns (preceded by the indefinite article) and attributive adjectives mod
It's not that big of a deal.
45. prep. Expressing a point in time.
46. prep. (chiefly regional) During the course of (a set period of time, day of the week etc.), now specifically with implied repetition or regularity.
Of an evening, we would often go for a stroll along the river.
47. prep. (UK dialectal, chiefly in negative constructions) For (a given length of time).
I've not tekken her out of a goodly long while.
48. prep. (after a noun) (Indicates duration of a state, activity etc.)
After a delay of three hours, the plane finally took off.
change
1. v. (intransitive) To become something different.
The tadpole changed into a frog. Stock prices are constantly changing.
2. v. (transitive, ergative) To make something into something else.
The fairy changed the frog into a prince. I had to change the wording of the ad so it would fit.
3. v. To replace.
Ask the janitor to come and change the lightbulb. After a brisk walk, I washed up and changed my shirt.
4. v. (intransitive) To replace one's clothing.
You can't go into the dressing room while she's changing. The clowns changed into their costumes before the circus started.
5. v. To replace the clothing of (the one wearing it).
It's your turn to change the baby.
6. v. (intransitive) To transfer to another vehicle (train, bus, etc.)
7. v. (archaic) To exchange.
8. v. To change hand while riding (a horse).
to change a horse
9. n. The process of becoming different.
The product is undergoing a change in order to improve it.
10. n. Small denominations of money given in exchange for a larger denomination.
Can I get change for this $100 bill please?
11. n. A replacement, e.g. a change of clothes
12. n. Money given back when a customer hands over more than the exact price of an item.
A customer who pays with a 10-pound note for a £9 item receives one pound in change.
13. n. Coins (as opposed to paper money).
Do you have any change on you? I need to make a phone call.
14. n. A transfer between vehicles.
The train journey from Bristol to Nottingham includes a change at Birmingham.
15. n. (baseball) A change-up pitch.
16. n. (campanology) Any order in which a number of bells are struck, other than that of the diatonic scale.
17. n. (dated) A place where merchants and others meet to transact business; an exchange.
18. n. (Scotland, dated) A public house; an alehouse.
in
1. prep. Used to indicate location, inclusion, or position within spatial, temporal or other limits.
2. prep. Contained by.
The dog is in the kennel.
3. prep. Within.
4. prep. Surrounded by.
We are in the enemy camp. Her plane is in the air.
5. prep. Part of; a member of.
One in a million. She's in band and orchestra.
6. prep. Pertaining to; with regard to.
What grade did he get in English?
Military letters should be formal in tone, but not stilted.
7. prep. At the end of a period of time.
They said they would call us in a week.
8. prep. Within a certain elapsed time
Are you able to finish this in three hours? The massacre resulted in over 1000 deaths in three hours.
9. prep. During (said of periods of time).
in the first week of December; Easter falls in the fourth lunar month; The country reached a high level of prosperity in his fi
10. prep. (grammar, phonetics, of sounds and letters) Coming at the end of a word.
English nouns in -ce form their plurals in -s.
11. prep. Into.
Less water gets in your boots this way.
12. prep. Used to indicate limit, qualification, condition, or circumstance.
In replacing the faucet washers, he felt he was making his contribution to the environment.
13. prep. Indicating an order or arrangement.
My fat rolls around in folds.
14. prep. Denoting a state of the subject.
He stalked away in anger. John is in a coma.
15. prep. Indicates, connotatively, a place-like form of someone's (or something's) personality, as his, her or its psychic and physical characteristics.
You've got a friend in me. He's met his match in her.
16. prep. Wearing (an item of clothing).
I glanced over at the pretty girl in the red dress.
17. prep. Used to indicate means, medium, format, genre, or instrumentality.
18. prep. (of something offered or given in an exchange) In the form of, in the denomination of.
Please pay me in cash — preferably in tens and twenties.
The deposit can be in any legal tender, even in gold.
Her generosity was rewarded in the success of its recipients.
19. prep. Used to indicate a language, script, tone, etc. of a text, speech, etc.
Beethoven's "Symphony No. 5" in C minor is among his most popular.
His speech was in French, but was simultaneously translated into eight languages.
When you write in cursive, it's illegible.
20. v. (obsolete, transitive) To enclose.
21. v. (obsolete, transitive) To take in; to harvest.
22. adv. (not comparable) Located indoors, especially at home or the office, or inside something.
Is Mr. Smith in?
23. adv. Moving to the interior of a defined space, such as a building or room.
Suddenly a strange man walked in.
24. adv. (sports) Still eligible to play, e.g. able to bat in cricket and baseball.
He went for the wild toss but wasn't able to stay in.
25. adv. (UK) Abbreviation of in aid of.
What's that in?
26. adv. After the beginning of something.
27. n. A position of power or a way to get it.
His parents got him an in with the company
28. n. (sport) The state of a batter/batsman who is currently batting – see innings
29. n. A re-entrant angle; a nook or corner.
30. adj. In fashion; popular.
Skirts are in this year.
31. adj. Incoming.
the in train
32. adj. (nautical, of the sails of a vessel) Furled or stowed.
33. adj. (legal) With privilege or possession; used to denote a holding, possession, or seisin.
in by descent; in by purchase; in of the seisin of her husband
34. adj. (cricket) Currently batting.
35. n. Inch.
the
1. art. Definite grammatical article that implies necessarily that an entity it articulates is presupposed; something already mentioned, or completely specified later in that same sentence, or assumed already
I’m reading the book. (Compare I’m reading a book.)
The street in front of your house. (Compare A street in Paris.)
The men and women watched the man give the birdseed to the bird.
2. art. Used before a noun modified by a restrictive relative clause, indicating that the noun refers to a single referent defined by the relative clause.
The street that runs through my hometown.
3. art. Used before an object considered to be unique, or of which there is only one at a time.
No one knows how many galaxies there are in the universe.
God save the Queen!
4. art. Used before a superlative or an ordinal number modifying a noun, to indicate that the noun refers to a single item.
That was the best apple pie ever.
5. art. Added to a superlative or an ordinal number to make it into a substantive.
That apple pie was the best.
6. art. Introducing a singular term to be taken generically: preceding a name of something standing for a whole class.
7. art. Used before an adjective, indicating all things (especially persons) described by that adjective.
Feed the hungry, clothe the naked, comfort the afflicted, and afflict the comfortable.
8. art. Used to indicate a certain example of (a noun) which is usually of most concern or most common or familiar.
No one in the whole country had seen it before.
I don't think I'll get to it until the morning.
9. art. Used before a body part (especially of someone previously mentioned), as an alternative to a possessive pronoun.
A stone hit him on the head. (= “A stone hit him on his head.”)
10. art. When stressed, indicates that it describes an object which is considered to be best or exclusively worthy of attention.
That is the hospital to go to for heart surgery.
11. adv. 1=With a comparative ormore and a verb phrase, establishes a parallel with one or more other such comparatives.
The hotter the better.
The more I think about it, the weaker it looks.
The more money donated, the more books purchased, and the more happy children.
It looks weaker and weaker, the more I think about it.
12. adv. 1=With a comparative, and often withfor it, indicates a result more like said comparative. This can be negated withnone.
It was a difficult time, but I’m the wiser for it.
It was a difficult time, and I’m none the wiser for it.
I'm much the wiser for having had a difficult time like that.
universe
1. n. The sum of everything that exists in the cosmos, including time and space itself.
I think that the universe was created by a life force rather than a deity.
2. n. An entity similar to our universe; one component of a larger entity known as the multiverse.
3. n. Everything under consideration.
In all this universe of possibilities, there is only one feasible option.
4. n. An imaginary collection of worlds.
The universe in this comic book series is richly imagined.
5. n. A whole world, in the sense of perspective or social setting.
That didn’t just rock my world, it rocked my universe.
except
1. v. To exclude; to specify as being an exception.
2. v. (intransitive) To take exception, to object (to or against).
to except to a witness or his testimony
3. prep. With the exception of; but.
There was nothing in the cupboard except a tin of beans.
4. conj. With the exception (that); used to introduce a clause, phrase or adverb forming an exception or qualification to something previously stated.
You look a bit like my sister, except she has longer hair. I never made fun of her except teasingly.
5. conj. (archaic) Unless; used to introduce a hypothetical case in which an exception may exist.
by
1. prep. Near or next to.
The mailbox is by the bus stop.
2. prep. At some time before (the given time), or before the end of a given time interval.
Be back by ten o'clock! We will send it by the first week of July.
3. prep. Indicates the actor in a clause with its verb in the passive voice: Through the action or presence of.
The matter was decided by the chairman. The boat was swamped by the water. He was protected by his body armour.
4. prep. Indicates the creator of a work: Existing through the authorship etc. of.
There are many well-known plays by William Shakespeare
5. prep. Indicates the cause of a condition or event: Through the action of, caused by, responsibility for; by dint of.
6. prep. Indicates a means: Involving/using the means of.
I avoided the guards by moving only when they weren't looking.
7. prep. Indicates a source of light used as illumination.
The electricity was cut off, so we had to read by candlelight.
8. prep. Indicates an authority, rule, or permission followed.
I sorted the items by category. By the power vested in me, I now pronounce you man and wife.
9. prep. Indicates the amount of some progression: With a change of.
Our stock is up by ten percent.
10. prep. In the formulae X by X and by Xs, indicates a steady progression, one X after another.
We went through the book page by page. We crawled forward by inches.
11. prep. Indicates a referenced source: According to.
He cheated by his own admission.
12. prep. Indicates an oath: With the authority of.
By Jove! I think she's got it! By all that is holy, I'll put an end to this.
13. prep. Used to separate dimensions when describing the size of something.
It is easy to invert a 2-by-2 matrix. The room was about 4 foot by 6 foot. The bricks used to build the wall measured 10 by 20 by 30 cm.
14. prep. (horse breeding) Designates a horse's male parent (sire); cf. out of.
She's a lovely little filly, by Big Lad, out of Damsel in Distress.
15. adv. Along a path which runs by the speaker.
I watched as it passed by.
16. adv. In the vicinity, near.
There was a shepherd close by.
The shop is hard by the High Street.
17. adv. To or at a place, as a residence or place of business.
I'll stop by on my way home from work.
We're right near the lifeguard station. Come by before you leave.
18. adv. Aside, away.
The women spent much time after harvest putting jams by for winter and spring.
19. adj. Out of the way, subsidiary.
20. n. (card games) A pass
21. interj. alternative spelling of bye
catastrophe
1. n. Any large and disastrous event of great significance.
2. n. (insurance) A disaster beyond expectations
3. n. (narratology) The dramatic event that initiates the resolution of the plot; the dénouement.
4. n. (mathematics) A type of bifurcation, where a system shifts between two stable states.

Dictionary entries from Wiktionary