close by — at a short distance away; nearby
Part of speech: ADVERB
Definition: at a short distance away; nearby
Pronunciation (IPA): /kloʊs baɪ/
Example Sentences
- Don't worry, I'll be close by if you need help with your presentation.
- My mother-in-law lives close by, which means surprise visits every day!
- The pizza delivery guy said he's close by, but that was two hours ago.
close by
ADVERB[/kloʊs baɪ/]
at a short distance away; nearby
a young child climbs on colorful playground equipment while looking back toward their mother. The mother sits on a park bench positioned just a few steps away from the playground. She can easily reach her child by taking only two or three steps forward. The mother waves and smiles while maintaining her comfortable position on the nearby bench. Other families enjoy the park with parents positioned within easy walking distance of their playing children. people staying at a short distance away from each other
As planes fly by, your standby crew stays close by!
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
Close derives from Latin clausus (closed, shut), referring to something confined or near. By comes from Old English bi (beside, near), originally meaning proximity or adjacency. The combination of these two words evolved to express spatial nearness or immediate proximity.
Breakdown
close (from Latin clausus, 'closed/shut') + by (from Old English bi, 'beside/near'). The morphological pairing emphasizes proximity, with 'close' denoting nearness and 'by' reinforcing the sense of being beside or adjacent.
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“Don't worry, I'll be close by if you need help with your presentation.”
“My mother-in-law lives close by, which means surprise visits every day!”
“The pizza delivery guy said he's close by, but that was two hours ago.”
“Keep your friends close, but keep your snacks closer by.”
📚Related Words
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