B
Idioms beginning with "B"
Part of speech, explanation, example sentences, pronunciation
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Contents of B:
[by all means] also [by all manner of means] {adv. phr.}
Certainly, without fail.
He felt that he should by all means warn Jones.
Contrast: [BY NO MEANS].
[by all odds] {adv. phr.}
Without question; certainly.
He was by all odds the strongest candidate.
By all odds we should win the game, because the other team is so weak.
Compare: [FAR AND AWAY].
[by and by] {adv.}
After a while; at some time in the future; later.
Roger said he would do his homework by and by.
The mother knew her baby would be a man by and by and do a man's work.
Syn.: [AFTER A WHILE].
[by and large] {adv. phr.}
As it most often happens; more often than not; usually; mostly.
There were bad days, but it was a pleasant summer, by and large.
By and large, women can bear pain better than men.
Syn.: [FOR THE MOST PART], [ON THE […]
[by chance] {adv. phr.}
Without any cause or reason; by accident; accidentally.
Tom met Bill by chance.
The apple fell by chance on Bobby's head.
[by choice] {adv. phr.}
As a result of choosing because of wanting to; freely.
John helped his father by choice.
Mary ate a plum, but not by choice. Her mother told her she must eat it.
[by dint of] {prep.}
By the exertion of; by the use of; through.
By dint of sheer toughness and real courage, he lived through the jungle difficulties and dangers.
His success in college was largely by dint of hard study.
[by ear] {adv. phr.}
1. By sound, without ever reading the printed music of the piece being played.
The church choir sang the hymns by ear.
2. Waiting to see what will happen.
I don't want to plan now; let's just play it by ear.