byembye

byembye

English

Alternative forms

• by and by

Etymology

From by and by.

Noun

byembye (uncountable)

1. (dated, dialectal) some indefinite time in the future
2. (dated, dialectal) hereafter

Adverb

byembye (not comparable)

1. (dated, dialectal) later
   • 1904, J.N. Greely, "As to Contentment", The Yale literary magazine, Herrick & Noyes, February 1904, p. 205

     We wuz in harbor one day, in some islan's some'eres or uther way off some'eres, an' they wuz workin' us like dogs agittin' the cargo in. An' I got tired mos' ter death, an' I sneaked off inter the cutter they had tied ter the stern, an' went ter sleep. Well byembye I hears an awful racket, an' there wuz the Cap'n, acussin' somethin' awful as he pulled me in.

   • 1917, Percival Christopher Wren, The Young Stagers, Longmans, Green and co., p. 44

     "Yore a soight fer sore heyes," quoth he.

     "Have you got sore eyes, Bobball? I am sorry. You ought to go to the chemist, and "

     "No, Missy. I'll go to the Canteen an' wash away all sech sorrers, byembye. Better'n the chimist," interrupted Bobball.

   • c. 1918. Denis Norman Garsten, "The Runaway", The Shilling Soldier, Hodder and Stoughten, p. 55

     "Then this ain't no place for you," remarked Private Piggott. "They'll be 'aving a shot at us byembye, then you'll catch it again. What d'yer come 'ere for ?"