call box (UK)—(also: phone box) a telephone booth: Mrs. Johnson is now urging the woman to come forward, after the caller did not leave her contact number and phoned from a call box. call box (U.S.)—emergency telephone installed along the sides of many highways, on university campuses, etc.: Drivers can use call boxes in case […]
Category: Confusing Phrases
Difference between Bypass something and Pass something by
by-pass something— 1. make a detour (round a town, etc.): The scheme has been referred to as “the Selborne by-pass,” but it does not bypass Selborne at all. 2. avoid or ignore smth. (by using an alternative approach): I will now try to explain in detail how to bypass this problem. pass something by—walk past […]
Difference between By word of mouth and Mouth words
by word of mouth—hear about smth. from another person: I can’t remember seeing it advertised much, so most people probably hear about it by word of mouth. mouth words— 1. form words silently with one’s lips: Since the mansion was wired with microphones, Howard would mouth words silently when she wanted to have a private […]
Difference between By virtue of something and In virtue of something
by virtue of something—by means of smth.; through the agency of smth.: It was only by virtue of his indomitable willpower that he finally succeeded. in virtue of something—by reason of smth.; on account of smth.: He was given a position on the board in virtue of his long association with the company.
Difference between By the seat of one’s pants and By the skin of one’s teeth
by the seat of one’s pants—do smth. using experience and intuition rather than theory: I don’t follow recipes, but prefer to cook by the seat of my pants, as it were. by the skin of one’s teeth—only just manage to get smth. accomplished: Making my train by the skin of my teeth, I haven’t had […]
Difference between By the name of and Under the name of
by the name of—is used of a person called by the name mentioned: Do you know a boy by the name of David? under the name of—is used of a person known by a name different from his own: Hector Munro wrote under the name of Saki.
Difference between By the clock and By the time
by the clock—do smth. paying a lot of attention to the time (so that one is not late): There are people who just hate to do anything by the clock. by the time—at the time that; as soon as: Eddie performed with various bands and by the time he was nineteen he left Fort Worth. […]
Difference between By the authority of someone and On the authority of someone
by the authority of someone—by reason of authority granted by the person named: The weapons were placed in the church by the authority of the governor in response to a threat the church received. on the authority of someone—having the person named as the authority for what one says: I have it on the authority […]
Difference between By succession and In succession
by succession—according to the legal principle by which one person succeeds another in an inheritance, office, etc.: It seems they did not like a king by deputation but desired one by succession. in succession—one after another in regular sequence: If one African country pulls out of the Commonwealth then there is a very real possibility […]
Difference between By rule and By rule and line
by rule—according to law, custom, or regulations: They speak by rule and by book, though they judge and determine by common-sense. by rule and line—(dated) with methodical accuracy (also: by rule and measure): Life isn’t cast in a mould—not cut out by rule and line, and that sort of thing.
Difference between By order of someone and Under the orders of someone
by order of someone—according to directions given by a proper authority: By order of the Minister a special operation of police is being carried out. under the orders of someone— 1. (Military) commanded by a person; being smb.’s subordinate: At the battle of Waterloo he was under the orders of Marshal Grouchy. 2. = by […]
Difference between By one’s own account and On one’s own account
by one’s own account—according to one’s own story: She says she thought she saw him, but by her own account she could have been mistaken. on one’s own account—acting independently; without help from others: He left the company last year, and went into business on his own account.