by-and-by

American  

[bahy-uhn-bahy] / ˌbaɪ ənˈbaɪ /

noun

1. the future.

   to meet in the sweet by-and-by.

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by and by British  

adverb

1. presently or eventually

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noun

1. a future time or occasion

by and by Idioms  

1. After a while, soon, as in She'll be along by and by. The expression probably relies on the meaning of by as a succession of quantities (as in “two by two”). This adverbial phrase came to be used as a noun, denoting either procrastination or the future. William Camden so used it for the former (Remains, 1605): “Two anons and a by and by is an hour and a half.” And W.S. Gilbert used it in the latter sense when Lady Jane sings plaintively that little will be left of her “in the coming by and by,” that is, as she grows old (Patience, 1881). [Early 1500s]

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Etymology

Origin of by-and-by

1300–50; Middle English bi and bi one by one, at once. See by

Example Sentences

Congress lets multinationals earn profits today but pay their taxes by-and-by.

From Newsweek

“You will see by-and-by the evidence upon which I rely.”

From Project Gutenberg

No," he replied; "I will come back by-and-by.

From Project Gutenberg

That these much-admired theories might by-and-by become common to the whole community, and then bring about horrible explosions—of this they had not the remotest suspicion.

From Project Gutenberg

I will be back again by-and-by to see how you are getting on.

From Project Gutenberg