time by time

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase 'time by time' is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to refer to something that happens periodically, such as a routine action or event. For example, "Every day, I check the mail time by time."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

14 human-written examples

The design of a photovoltaic water pumping system (PVWPS) strictly depends on the estimation of the crop water requirements and land use since the water demand varies during the watering season and the solar irradiation changes time by time.

Applied Energy

The exploration of Food Strategies and Action Plans reveals a very varied and changing framework, not only in relation to the differentiated degrees of comprehensiveness or orderliness of the provided assessments, but also looking at the themes and concerns that are deepened time by time.

City, Territory and Architecture

The first are able to measure, one rail at a time, different part of a track, permitting to choose the length of each single measuring track and to select time by time the position of the sensor in the width of the railhead, guaranteeing extreme accuracy of 0.001 mm RMS (root mean square).

Journal of Modern Transportation

One reason to suppose that it must have other means at its disposal is that time needs to be represented in memory (I recall, both that a was earlier than b, and also the experience of seeing a occur before b) and intention (I intend to F after I G), but there is no obvious way in which Mellor's 'representation of time by time' account can be extended to these.

SEP

He contributes time by time to the BBC.

Huffington Post

"It's literally just day by day and week by week and time by time.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

46 human-written examples

Cross-sectional comparisons were performed using time-by-time contrasts programmed using the SAS Mixed Procedure.

Diabetes Care

When this condition is satisfied, the forward and backward dynamic programming recursions can proceed state-by-state rather than time-by-time.

BMC Genomics

By using this equation, the overall response of HR, SBP and DBP is obtained and compared between groups, avoiding the time-by-time comparisons.

BMC Anesthesiology

Thus, each of the 1000 permutations generated a time-by-time map of classification accuracies like those in Figures 4A and 4B.

eLife

It's also nice that by cleaning up the analysis in this way, the effect is revealed to be highly significant (surviving nonparametric correction for peak level of the entire time-by-time map) rather than marginally significant.

eLife

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "time by time" to indicate a recurring process or observation at specific points, particularly when analyzing data or tracking changes.

Common error

Avoid using "time by time" when "from time to time" is more appropriate. "Time by time" implies a structured, recurring observation, while "from time to time" indicates occasional or irregular instances.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "time by time" functions as an adverbial phrase, modifying verbs by specifying when actions occur. Ludwig indicates its use in describing events or processes that happen at specific, often measured, intervals. It suggests a recurring assessment or action.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

43%

News & Media

32%

Wiki

11%

Less common in

Formal & Business

6%

Encyclopedias

4%

Reference

4%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "time by time" functions as an adverbial phrase indicating actions or observations that are repeated at specific intervals. Ludwig highlights its usage across diverse contexts, including science, news, and general writing. The phrase is considered grammatically correct, although its usage requires careful attention to nuance, as it is not always interchangeable with similar phrases such as "from time to time". While its frequency is common, understanding its specific application is crucial for effective communication. It should be noted that usage indicates "time by time" is less appropriate than alternatives when describing actions that are irregular, occasional or infrequent.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

from time to time

Focuses on occasional instances, differing from the possible routine suggested by "time by time".

periodically

Expresses recurrence at intervals, lacking the sequential implication of "time by time".

at intervals

Specifies occurrence with breaks in between, emphasizing gaps more than the cyclical pattern.

intermittently

Highlights the sporadic nature of occurrence, unlike the potential regularity in "time by time".

gradually

Indicates a slow change over time, differing from the repetitive aspect of "time by time".

bit by bit

Emphasizes a gradual process, shifting focus from temporal occurrence to progressive development.

little by little

Like 'bit by bit', highlights the progressive nature of an action, not the cyclical nature of "time by time".

by degrees

Highlights incremental progression, focusing on the small steps of advancement rather than recurrence.

step by step

Highlights the sequence of actions, emphasizing procedure rather than cyclical timing.

in stages

Suggests a process divided into discrete phases, unlike the continuous implication of "time by time".

FAQs

How can I use "time by time" in a sentence?

You can use "time by time" to describe a process that is monitored or adjusted regularly, such as "The system updates its data "periodically" time by time to ensure accuracy."

What's a good alternative to "time by time"?

Depending on the context, you can use phrases like "from time to time", "at intervals", or ""periodically"".

Is "time by time" interchangeable with "from time to time"?

While similar, "time by time" suggests a more structured or regular interval than "from time to time", which implies occasional or irregular occurrences.

When is it best to use "time by time" instead of "sometimes"?

"Time by time" is best used when referring to observations or actions repeated at specific, measured points. "Sometimes" indicates an indefinite frequency, while "time by time" focuses on measured repetitions or observations at regular intervals.