by degrees

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English

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Prepositional phrase

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by degrees

  1. In gradual steps; bit by bit.
    • [1877], Anna Sewell, “Earlshall”, in Black Beauty: [], London: Jarrold and Sons, [], →OCLC, part II, page 102:
      She came to us snappish and suspicious, but when she found what sort of place ours was, it all went off by degrees; []
    • 1880, William Blades, The Enemies of Books, page 36:
      By degrees the libraries which were unendowed fell behind the age, and were consequently neglected.

Synonyms

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Translations

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