[文法] by now的時態(及意思)

[hubertt (跳樑小丑)]

看Longman和Macmillan的例句，
by now大致可以理解為「現在」、「至今為止」：
Sonia should have been home by now. Do you think she's OK?
The meeting should have finished by now.

可是這樣的話，Oxford的例句讓我有點搞不懂：
He'll be home by now.
為什麼是未來式呢？ 還是這裡的by now有什麼不一樣的意思？
請問這個句子是什麼意思呢？

謝謝~

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推 chrisjon:我的感覺是解釋成"從現在開始"…只是感覺
→ dunchee:以Longman為例:
→ dunchee:http://www.ldoceonline.com/dictionary/now_1
→ dunchee:1 的"at the present time:"是指 now。後頭的藍色字眼的
→ dunchee: by, up to, until ...等等要另外看個別的意思。
→ dunchee:Longman的by沒有"by now"(但是有那意思/用法的項目，你自
→ dunchee:己對照)，所以:
→ dunchee:http://www.oxfordadvancedlearnersdictionary.com/dictio
→ dunchee:nary/by     -> 5 ...
→ dunchee:will 的部份:  (同一oxford, 查 will
→ dunchee:-> 5 ....
→ dunchee:我另外建議你用Google Books找小說裡頭的對話去體會說那句
→ dunchee:話的合適時機/context等等
→ hubertt:大致理解了，謝謝^^~