By vs While - What's the difference?
by | while |
Near or next to.
At some time before (the given time), or before the end of a given time interval.
(Indicates the actor in a clause with its verb in the passive voice): Through the action or presence of.
* {{quote-news, year=2011, date=September 28, author=Jon Smith, work=BBC Sport
, title= (Indicates the creator of a work): Existing through the authorship etc. of.
(Indicates the cause of a condition or event): Through the action of, caused by, responsibility for; by dint of.
* 1874 , (Thomas Hardy), (Far from the Madding Crowd) , 2005 Barnes & Noble Classics publication of 1912 Wessex edition, p.109:
(Indicates a means): Involving/using the means of.
*
*:"I don't want to spoil any comparison you are going to make," said Jim, "but I was at Winchester and New College." ¶ "That will do," said Mackenzie. "I was dragged up at the workhouse school till I was twelve. Then I ran away and sold papers in the streets, and anything else that I could pick up a few coppers by —except steal."
(Indicates a source of light): Medium emanating from hot sources.
* 1945 , Neva L. Boyd, Handbook of Recreational Games , 1975 edition, ISBN 0486232042,
* 1960 , , (One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish)
(senseid).
(Indicates the amount of some progression): With a change of.
(Indicates a referenced source): According to.
(Indicates an oath): With the authority of.
Along a path which runs by the speaker.
In the vicinity, near.
* Joseph Conrad, Heart of Darkness
To or at a place, as a residence or place of business.
Aside, away.
Out of the way, subsidiary.
An uncertain duration of time, a period of time.
During the same time that.
* , chapter=12
, title= * 1948 , , North from Mexico / The Spanish-Speaking People of The United States , J. B. Lippincott Company, page 25,
* {{quote-magazine, date=2013-06-07, author=David Simpson
, volume=188, issue=26, page=36, magazine=(The Guardian Weekly)
, title= Although.
* 2013 September 28, (Kenan Malik), "
(Northern England, Scotland) Until.
* Beaumont and Fletcher
As long as.
* I. Watts
To pass (time) idly.
* Longfellow
To loiter.
As nouns the difference between by and while
is that by is (card games) a pass while while is an uncertain duration of time, a period of time.As a preposition by
is near or next to.As an adverb by
is along a path which runs by the speaker.As an adjective by
is out of the way, subsidiary.As an interjection by
is .As a conjunction while is
during the same time that.As a verb while is
to pass (time) idly.by
English
(wikipedia by)Alternative forms
* bye (archaic for preposition and adverb, not used for abbreviation, preferred for noun and interjection)Preposition
(English prepositions)Valencia 1-1 Chelsea, passage=Valencia threatened sporadically in the first half with Miguel having a decent effort deflected wide by Ashley Cole, while Jordi Alba's near-post cross was flicked into the sidenetting by Pablo Hernandez.}}
- In other directions the fields and sky were so much of one colour by the snow that it was difficult in a hasty glance to tell whereabouts the horizon occurred.
p.16:
- Players: Can we get there by candlelight? ¶ Gatekeepers: Yes and back again.
- By' the light of the moon, / ' by the light of a star / they walked all night
Derived terms
* bit by bit * by degrees * by dint of * by one's lonesome * by oneself * by means of * by rights * by the book * by the by * by the bye * by the way * by your leave * by way of * do good by * do right by * hard by * side by sideAdverb
(-)- I watched as it passed by .
- There was a shepherd close by .
- The shop is hard by the High Street.
- [The helmsman] steered with no end of a swagger while you were by ; but if he lost sight of you, he became instantly the prey of an abject funk
- I'll stop by on my way home from work.
- We're right near the lifeguard station. Come by before you leave.
- The women spent much time after harvest putting jams by for winter and spring.
Derived terms
* by the by * drop by * full and by * nearby * pass by * passerby * put by * right by * stand by * stop by * bypassAdjective
(-)Antonyms
* main, principalDerived terms
* bypass * byroad * bystander * bywaywhile
English
Noun
(en noun)- He lectured for quite a long while .
Conjunction
(wikipedia while) (English Conjunctions)Mr. Pratt's Patients, passage=While the powwow was going on the big woman came back again. She was consider'ble rumpled and scratched up, but there was fire in her eye.}}
- While De Anza was exploring the Bay of San Francisco, seeking a site for the presidio, the American colonists on the eastern seaboard, three thousand miles away, were celebrating the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
Fantasy of navigation, passage=Like most human activities, ballooning has sponsored heroes and hucksters and a good deal in between. For every dedicated scientist patiently recording atmospheric pressure and wind speed while shivering at high altitudes, there is a carnival barker with a bevy of pretty girls willing to dangle from a basket or parachute down to earth.}}
London Is Special, but Not That Special," New York Times (retrieved 28 September 2013):
- While Britain’s recession has been deep and unforgiving, in London it has been relatively shallow.
- I may be conveyed into your chamber; I'll lie under your bed while midnight.
- Use your memory; you will sensibly experience a gradual improvement, while you take care not to overload it.
Verb
(whil)- The lovely lady whiled the hours away.
- (Spectator)
