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• go-by
  go-by

  noun

  a going by without notice; an intentional passing by; snub.
• go by
  go by

  verb

  to pass

go-by

American  

[goh-bahy] / ˈgoʊˌbaɪ /

noun

Informal.

1. a going by without notice; an intentional passing by; snub.

   to give one the go-by.

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go by ¹ British  

verb

1. to pass

   the cars went by

   as the years go by we all get older

   don't let those opportunities go by!

2. (preposition) to be guided by

   in the darkness we could only go by the stars

3. (preposition) to use as a basis for forming an opinion or judgment

   it's wise not to go only by appearances

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go-by ² British  

noun

1. slang a deliberate snub or slight (esp in the phrase give ( a person ) the go-by )

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go by Idioms  

1. Elapse, pass, as in the popular song, “As Time Goes By” (by Herman Hupfeld, 1931), or He just went by our house . [c. 1600]

2. Ignore, fail to notice or take advantage of, as in You shouldn't let this opportunity go by . [Early 1500s] For the related go by the board , see by the board .

3. Rely on, believe, as in I'm going by the numbers on this list , or We'll have to go by what she tells us .

4. go by the name of . Be known by or use a specific name. For example, She continued to go by her maiden name, Mary Smith . [Late 1500s]

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Etymology

Origin of go-by

First recorded in 1605–15; noun use of verb phrase go by

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

go-by go by

Competitors too cried hoarse saying Uber had been giving the go-by to background checks on the drivers it aggregated through its service.

From Forbes ● Dec. 8, 2014

I says what else do you expect except every dam drummer and cheap show that comes to town because even these town jellybeans give her the go-by now.

From "The Sound and the Fury" by William Faulkner

That's where your money, social position, training and brains are going to enable you to give the ordinary detectives the go-by.

From The Secret Toll by Thorne, Paul And Mabel

But Stevens here got in such a way about it, that I felt sorry for him, and I gave them all the go-by for him.

From The Red Mouse by William Hamilton Osborne

She’s promised to Muckle Haws; but no doubt she would gie him the go-by at a word frae the minister.”

From The Little Minister by J. M. (James Matthew) Barrie

But as the years go by and the demographic realities start to change, he thinks he may be saying that with less and less confidence, until it’s no longer true.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 16, 2026

In 2026, your mother can contribute up to $95,000 in one go by electing to front-load five years of annual gift-tax exclusions.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 10, 2026

“I go by Secret Service and the military. They wanted me to go in a different flight, a different plane, for safety.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 13, 2026

With the blink of an eye, years go by so fast covering high school athletes.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 11, 2026

Perhaps Miss Lilian was peering out from the dark, watching me go by dressed in her clothes, loathing me even more than before.

From "The Old Willis Place" by Mary Downing Hahn