# drive by

CEFR B1 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/drive-by
Updated: 2026-04-24

## Definition

to pass a person or place while you are in a car or other vehicle.

For teachers: to pass a specific location or person while operating or traveling in a motor vehicle; often used intransitively to describe the act of passing without stopping.

## Examples

- I drive by your house every morning on my way to work.
- We decided to drive by the old school to see how much the neighborhood had changed over the years.
- The witnesses reported seeing a dark sedan drive by the storefront several times shortly before the alarm was triggered.

## Pitfalls

- Not "I drove at your house yesterday." but "I drove by your house yesterday." — the preposition 'by' is necessary to show you passed the location rather than arriving at it.

## Usage notes

- usually followed by a location or person, but can stand alone to describe the action of passing.
- Teaching tip: distinguish between the literal movement and the noun 'drive-by' which often refers to a crime; focus on the preposition 'by' indicating proximity and movement.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.