“by+名词”的常用固定搭配
■湖南 陈根花
by accident 偶然地，意外地
I met her by accident in a crowded bus. 我意外地在拥挤的公共汽车中遇见她。
We met each other again completely by accident. 我们再次相遇，完全出于偶然。
by air 乘飞机，由航空
Are you going by air or by sea? 你坐飞机还是坐船去？
I shall send the letter by air. 我要由航空寄这封信。
by birth出生，血统；天生，生来
He’s French by birth. 他是法国血统。
She’s an actor by birth. 她是天生的演员。
by chance偶然地，无意中
I met him by chance yesterday. 昨天我无意中遇见他。
I met her quite by chance. 我遇见她完全是偶然的。
by cheque / by check用支票
Are you paying in cash or by cheque? 你付现款还是付支票？
You won’t be able to pay by check if you don’t have your ID card. 如果你没有身份证的话，就不能以支票付款了。
by choice凭喜爱，出于自愿
I should take this one by choice. 我要选择这个。
I live here by choice. 我自愿选择住在这儿。
by comparison 比较起来，用比较的方法
The old method suffers by comparison. 老方法相形见绌。
This one is really cheaper by comparison. 相比之下，这个确实便宜。
by contrast 对比之下
She had almost failed the exam, but her sister, by contrast, had done very well. 她考试差点不及格，而她的妹妹相比之下考得很好。
The technology sector is doing badly. Old economy stocks, by contrast, are performing well again. 技术行业表现很差。对比之下，传统经济股则再次表现良好。
【注】若表示“与……相比”，则说by contrast with。如：
Tom’s marks by contrast with Harry’s marks were excellent. 与哈利的分数相比，汤姆的分数算得上优秀。
by day 在白天，趁白天
They don’t work by day but by night. 他们白天不工作，晚上工作。
Do you prefer traveling by day or by night? 你喜欢在白天还是在夜晚行路？
【注】该短语通常与by night对比使用；另外，注意它与by the day（按日计算）意思不同。如：
They got paid by the day. 他们拿日薪。
by degrees逐渐地，慢慢地
She is getting better by degrees. 她（的身体）逐渐好转。
By degrees their friendship grew into love. 他们的友谊慢慢地变为爱情。