hides by

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "hides by" is not correct and does not convey a clear meaning in written English.
It is unclear when it could be used, as it does not form a standard expression or idiom. Example: "The cat hides by the bushes" does not work because "hides by" lacks clarity.

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

7 human-written examples

The lizard, named for the male's prodigious nose, hides by day high in the trees.

The New York Times - Science

They were subsequently hunted for their hides by transient gauchos of mestizo ancestry.

Encyclopedia Britannica

So with only a little help from his friends Paul McCartney is to save both the planet and our sorry, overweight hides by turning the long-established notion of getting people to eat less meat into a celebrity-fronted campaign.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Incorporating Feedback About Ads – Using surveys about why people hide ads, fewer similar ads to ads someone hid because it wasn't relevant to them, fewer ads shown to anyone that people hide because they were offensive, more heavily weighting the hides by people who infrequently hide ads.

TechCrunch

Dermer reiterated that "every civilian death is unacceptable to Israel," but said "we have an enemy that fires indiscriminately but hides by their own civilians, using hospitals, schools, mosques".

Huffington Post

But they did understand corporate politics well enough to know that they could always blow up Clarizio if her strategy failed and save their hides by hiring someone who'd be dumb enough not to see the pending explosion.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

51 human-written examples

No Place to Hide, by Glenn Greenwald (Metropolitan).

The New Yorker

His face was hidden by a mask.

The New Yorker

Its upper floors are hidden by clouds.

The Guardian - Travel

The other children were hiding by the bed.

The New York Times

His eyes were hidden by a pair of dark sunglasses.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Instead of using "hides by", opt for clearer and more grammatically correct alternatives like "hides near", "hides behind", or "is hidden by" to ensure your writing is precise and easily understood.

Common error

Avoid using "hides by" to describe spatial relationships. It's better to use prepositions that clearly indicate location, such as "behind", "near", or "beside". For example, instead of writing "The cat hides by the bushes", write "The cat hides behind the bushes" or "The cat hides near the bushes".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "hides by" primarily functions as a verb phrase, indicating an action (hiding) and attempting to specify location. However, it is considered grammatically incorrect. As Ludwig AI points out, the construction lacks clarity, and alternatives are generally preferred.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

33%

Encyclopedias

17%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Academia

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "hides by" is generally considered grammatically incorrect and lacks clarity in standard English. While Ludwig provides a few examples where it appears, it's advisable to use more precise and grammatically sound alternatives such as "hides near", "hides behind", or "is hidden by". These alternatives ensure your writing is clear and easily understood. As Ludwig AI notes, the construction is not standard, so it's best to avoid it in formal writing to maintain precision and professionalism.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

hides near

Replaces the preposition "by" with "near" to indicate proximity, making the sentence grammatically sound.

hides beside

Substitutes "by" with "beside", offering a more specific spatial relationship.

conceals itself with

Uses "conceals itself" to denote hiding and changes the preposition to "with" to indicate what's used for hiding.

takes cover behind

Replaces "hides" with "takes cover" and "by" with "behind" to emphasize seeking protection.

is obscured by

Employs "is obscured" to indicate being hidden from view, changing the sentence structure.

remains hidden near

Adds "remains hidden" to emphasize the state of being concealed and uses "near" to indicate proximity.

finds refuge close to

Substitutes "hides" with "finds refuge" to highlight seeking shelter and "by" with "close to" to denote nearness.

seeks shelter by

Changes "hides" to "seeks shelter" to emphasize the act of finding protection, retaining "by" for location.

is masked by

Uses "is masked" to indicate being covered or concealed, altering the verb and preposition.

is screened by

Replaces "hides" with "is screened" to suggest being shielded from view, changing the verb form.

FAQs

How can I rephrase the sentence "The animal hides by the tree" to make it grammatically correct?

You can replace "hides by" with more precise prepositions like "hides near", "hides behind", or "hides beside" to clearly indicate the animal's location relative to the tree.

Is "hides by" grammatically correct, and if not, what should I use instead?

The phrase "hides by" is generally considered grammatically incorrect. Use alternatives such as "hides near", "is hidden by", or "takes cover behind" depending on the intended meaning.

What's the difference between saying "hides by the river" and "hides near the river"?

While "hides by the river" might be understood, it's not standard English. "Hides near the river" is better because "near" clearly indicates proximity. You could also use "hides along the river" or "hides beside the river" for even greater clarity.

When is it appropriate to use the phrase "hides by" in writing?

It's generally not advisable to use "hides by" in formal writing, as it's not considered standard English. In most contexts, replacing it with a more precise preposition like "hides behind" or "hides near" will improve clarity and grammatical correctness.