drive-in

[ drahyv-in ]

noun

1. a place of business or public facility designed to accommodate patrons who sit in their automobiles, as a movie theater with an outdoor screen facing the parking area or a restaurant where servers bring food out to be eaten in the parked automobiles.

adjective

1. of, relating to, or characteristic of such an establishment:

   Drive-in business far exceeded walk-in business.

drive-in

adjective

1. denoting a public facility or service designed to be used by patrons seated in their cars

   a drive-in bank

noun

1. a cinema designed to be used in such a manner

Word History and Origins

Origin of drive-in¹

An Americanism first recorded in 1925–30; noun, adjective use of verb phrase drive in

Example Sentences

Recent poll averages still place odds ever so slightly in progressive Brown's favor on the eve of Election Day — driven in large part by Ohio women.

From Salon

Max Verstappen's drive in the wet was superb, but Lewis Hamilton is renowned for his wet driving.

From BBC

It was a drive to be ranked among the greatest wet-weather drives in history.

From BBC

Tony Bologna had been driving in San Francisco with his three sons when their vehicle was barraged by gunfire.

From BBC

As rain continued to fall, Washington had little trouble scoring on four of its five drives in the first half, while just one of USC’s drives extended more than 34 yards.

From Los Angeles Times

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