bye¹ / bī/ • n. 1. the transfer of a competitor directly to the next round of a competition in the absence of an assigned opponent.2. Golf one or more holes remaining unplayed after the match has been decided.PHRASES: by the byevariant spelling of by the by (see by).bye² • interj. inf. short for goodbye.

bye †second or subsidiary object or course XVI; phr. by the bye
i. as a subsidiary matter XVII
,
ii. ‘by the way’ XVIII. The usual sp. of by when used sb., but varying with by; ellipt. use of BY-meaning ‘secondary’, ‘subsidiary’, e.g. as opp. to main in dicing, referring to stake, throw, or chance, and in various sports.