| Idiom | Meaning | Example |
| by any means |
any way or method, by doing any job
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He survived by any means when he first came to Canada.
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| by any stretch... |
(See not by any stretch of the imagination)
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| by cracky |
you listen to what I say, this is the truth, by gosh
This is serious, by cracky! We're lost and we have no water!
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| by dint of |
as a result of, because of
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By dint of her efforts alone, this family is happy and healthy.
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| by golly |
I am surprised, impressed; by gosh
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By golly! She did it. She made a cherry pie!
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| by gosh |
what an experience, this is interesting, by golly
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Well, by gosh! This is my first look at Niagara Falls!
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| by guess or by gosh |
any way that is possible, by chance
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How did I learn to speak French? By guess or by gosh, that's how.
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| by heart |
memorized every word, down pat
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Eva knew the speech by heart. She didn't look at her notes.
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| by hook or by crook |
any way that is possible, by any means
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He'll get that car - by hook or by crook! He'll get it somehow.
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| by its very nature |
because of its natural habits, because it is that way
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A dog, by its very nature, is dependent on humans.
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