hard by, prep. and adv. Somewhat arch.
[hard adv. 6 + by prep. and adv.]
A. prep. Close by; in close proximity to; close to, very near to. (Now only of place.)
| 1526 Tindale Acts xxvii. 7 We saled harde by the costes off Candy. 1659 D. Pell Impr. Sea 575 note. Your ships were hard by drowning. 1682 Milton Hist. Mosc. v. Wks. 1738 II. 143 They saw many Whales very monstrous hard by their Ships. 1849 Macaulay Hist. Eng. I. v. 628 Hard by the remains of Monmouth were laid the remains of Jeffreys. |
B. adv. In close local proximity; close by, very near; † also transf. close at hand in time.
| 1535 Coverdale Obad. 15 The daye off the Lorde is harde by vpon all Heithen. 1590 Greene Mourn. Garm. (1616) 43, I will place thee in a Farme house of mine hard by adioining. 1717 Berkeley Tour in Italy 19 Jan. Wks. 1871 IV. 527 Hard by we saw the remains of the circus of Sallustius. 1800 Wordsw. Pet Lamb 58 Our cottage is hard by. 1886 Ruskin Præterita I. ix. 300 The lily of the valley wild in the copses hard by. |