BY AND BY

In the sense of "immediately" is the King James Version translation of exautes, of Mark 6:25 (the American Standard Revised Version "forthwith"); of euthus, Matthew 13:21 (the American Standard Revised Version "straightway"); of eutheos, Luke 17:7 (the American Standard Revised Version "straightway"); Luke 21:9 (the American Standard Revised Version "immediately"). In English literally this meaning is obsolete (compare: "After you have dyned and supte, laboure not by and by after, but make a pause--the space of an howre or more with some pastyme" (Babees Book, EETS, 247).

From the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
Edited by James Orr, published in 1939 by Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.