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What does the phrase

stop by my desk later

mean? For example:

I can email you the link. Or stop by my desk later, and I can show you some photos.

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

Jasper
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user62498
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4 Answers4

38

stop by
to visit someone briefly

So stop by my desk means come over to my workplace.

The term stop by has an undertone of "when you are passing place X, stop for a moment". So it typically refers to a casual visit or meeting as opposed to a fixed date or pre-arranged meeting.

Stephie
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14

Cambridge dictionary gives the best and, to me, most precise definition of stop by:

to ​visit someone for a ​short ​time, usually on the way to another ​place

So to stop by someone's desk has the idea of make a stop at my desk on your way to the exit, break room, restroom, etc.

Alan Carmack
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3

"Stop by" simply means while on your way to your destination, to briefly drop in for a casual short visit, whether it be business or to just have a casual conversation

BlackLeg_Sanji
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    Welcome to ELL.SE. This answer has already been given, twice, and more completely (i.e. with a suitable reference). To lend support to an existing answer, you should upvote it instead. For further guidance on how to use the site, I strongly encourage you to take the site [tour] and review the [help]. – choster Mar 08 '16 at 23:33
3

If your supervisor tells you to "stop by my desk later", that means "I can't talk to you right now, but I want to in a relatively short time. So, come by in an hour or so to see if it's then a good time to see me. If it's not a good time then, be sure to leave me a note indicating that you came and then keep coming back until it is (and continue to leave notes). Be sure not to stop checking in. Be persistent. It's up to you to make sure this meeting takes place."

Now, that's what it really means if your boss says it to you...

Joe Schmuck
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