# peel out

CEFR B2 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/peel-out
Updated: 2026-10-22

## Definition

to drive away very fast from a stop, making the tires spin and make a loud noise.

For teachers: to accelerate a motor vehicle rapidly from a stationary position, typically resulting in the tires spinning and emitting a screeching sound. The verb is intransitive in this sense.

## Examples

- The driver decided to peel out at the green light.
- The teenagers wanted to impress their friends, so they would often peel out of the school parking lot.
- The getaway car was seen to peel out from the alleyway, leaving behind a cloud of acrid smoke and black tire marks on the pavement.

## Pitfalls

- Not "He peeled out his shirt." but "He peeled off his shirt." — Learners confuse 'peel out' with 'peel off', which means to remove a layer of clothing.

## Usage notes

- This phrase is almost exclusively used when talking about cars or motorcycles.
- Teaching tip: Use this to teach the 'burn rubber' idiom, as both describe the same noisy, high-speed start.

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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.