drive-by

[ drahyv-bahy ]

noun

, plural drive-bys.

1. the action of driving by a specified locality, object, etc.:

   a drive-by of Nelson's Monument.

2. a drive-by shooting:

   The gang member was killed in a drive-by.

adjective

1. consisting of or featuring a drive-by:

   We boarded the sightseeing bus for a drive-by tour of the nation's capital.

2. occurring while driving past a person, object, etc.:

   a drive-by shooting.

3. casual; superficial; offhand:

   a drive-by news analysis.

4. involving a brief stay in a hospital, clinic, etc.:

   a drive-by mastectomy.

Word History and Origins

Origin of drive-by¹

Noun, adj. use of verb phrase drive by

Example Sentences

The Audi had been linked to a reported drive-by shooting the previous day.

From BBC

Two former police officers have been jailed for the murder of Marielle Franco, a prominent left wing politician killed in a drive-by shooting in 2018.

From BBC

Five people were seriously injured in a drive-by shooting at a restaurant in the city, including a 15-year-old boy who was left in critical condition after being shot in the head, police sources told the AFP news agency.

From BBC

He has also previously denied any involvement in the drive-by shooting that killed rapper Tupac Shakur in Las Vegas in 1996.

From BBC

From throwing album-release beach parties to playing gigs at high schools, winging drive-by sets on the 10 Freeway or headlining festivals like Camp Flog Gnaw, the band has done whatever’s necessary to rope young crowds into its expansive vision for corridos tumbados.

From Los Angeles Times