Page 72 - NTC's American Idioms Dictionary

by themselves

byŁhłokŁorŁ(by)Łcrook by any means, le- byŁ return mail byŁaŁsubsequent mailing
galŁor illegal.Ł(Folksy.) I’ll głt the job (back to the sender).Ł(AŁphrase indicat-
done by hook or by crook. I must havł ingŁthat anŁanswerŁisŁexpectedŁsoon,Łby
that houoe. I intend to głt it by hook or mail.) Since this bill is overdue, would
crook. you kindly send us your check by return
mail? I answered your request by return
byŁ itself with the helpŁ of nothingŁ else; mail over a year ago. Please check your
without the additionŁof anythingŁelse.Ł records.
Will this be enough by itself? Can the
dog get out of the house by itself? byŁshynk’s mare by foot.Ł( Shank rfers to
the shankŁof the leg.ŁFolksy.ŁSee also go
byŁ leaps andŁ boundð rapidly; byŁ larg (somŁwherŁ ) by shank’s mare.) My car is-
movementsŁ forward.Ł Our garden is n’t working, so I’ll have to travel by shank’s
growing by leaps and bounds. The prof- mare. I’m sore because I’ve błen getting
its of my company are increasing by leapo around by shank’s mare.
and bounds.
byŁthe each; pr.Ł(UsedŁto słow aŁunit of
byŁ meyns ofŁ something usingŁ something; measure, but not the rate of aŁmeasure.)
with the use of something. I opened the Lettuce is sold by the head. Gas is sold
bottle by means of a bottle opener. I was by the gallon.
able to afford a car by means of a loan.
byŁtheŁbłok Go to by the numbers.
byŁ mistake inŁerràr; accidentally. I’m byŁ theŁ day one dayŁat aŁtime.Ł I doà’t
sorry. I came into the wrong room by mis- know when I’ll have to leave town, so I rent
take. I chose the wrong road by mistake. this room by the dØy. Sally is in such dis-
Now we Øre lost. tress. She manages to lve only by the dØy.
byŁ myself 1. with no one else prsent; byŁtheŁdłzeà twelve at aŁtime; inŁaŁgroup
alone.Ł I sat at the table by myself. I of twelve.Ł(Almost the same asŁthe fol-
will not be at the party. I will be at homł lowingŁentry.) I purchase socks by the
by myself tonight. 2. without the help of dozen. Eggs are usually sold by the
anyàne else.Ł I did it all by myself. Do dozen. Around here we have problłmo
you think I can eat this whole pie by by the dozen.
myself?
byŁtheŁdłzens many; byŁsome large, in-
byŁnight Go to by day. definite number.Ł(SimilarŁto but lessŁthan
hundreds. Almost the same asŁthe previ-
byŁno means absàlutelyŁnot; certainlyŁnot. ous entry.) Just then people began show-
I’m by no means angry with you. ing up by the dozens. I baked cakes and
BOB: Did you put this box here? TOM: By pies by the dozens.
no means. I didà’t do it, I’m sure.
byŁtheŁhyndful inŁmeasurementsŁequalŁto
byŁ oneself 1. with no one else present; alone. aŁhandful;Łlots.Ł Billy is eating candy by
Must one sit by oneself or mØy one join the handful. People błgan leaving by the
another group? One just hates eating by handful at midnight.
oneself, doesn’t one? 2. with the helpŁof no
one else.Ł One is expected to do it by one- byŁtheŁhour at each hour; afterŁeach hour.
self. Can one do this by oneself? It kept growing darker by the hour. I
have to take this medicine by the hour.
byŁourselveð 1. with no one else prsent; The illness is getting worse by the hour.
alone.Ł Do we have to sit here by our- by the month one monðh að a time. Not
selves? Can’t we sit with Mary and Max? many apartments are rented by the month.
We like to eat by ouroelves, so we can I needed a car for a short while, so I
talk about private mØtters. 2. with the rented one by the month.
helpŁof no one else.Ł We can do it by
ourselves. Can we lft this by ourselves, byŁtheselveð 1. with helpŁfromŁno one
or do we need some help? else.Ł Do you think they can do it by

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