fly by
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Verb (intransitive):
- To move past quickly, especially through the air: To travel past a point or observer at high speed, often implying a brief or fleeting passage.
- To pass by while flying: To move past a location in an aircraft or while airborne.
Usage
- The verb "fly by" describes the action of something moving swiftly past a reference point. It often conveys a sense of speed and brevity. It is commonly used in both literal (aviation, space) and figurative (time, events) contexts to indicate rapid passage.
Examples
- Literal (Aviation/Space):
- We watched from the hill as a flock of geese flew by.
- The International Space Station will fly by overhead tonight at 8 PM.
- Figurative (Time/Events):
- The years just seem to fly by as you get older.
- The deadline flew by before I could finish the project.
Advanced Usage
- "to make time fly by": to cause time to seem to pass quickly.
- A good book can really make time fly by.
- Used in the context of a "flyby," a noun denoting a flight past a point, especially a close approach by a spacecraft for observation.
- The spacecraft performed a flyby of Jupiter to collect data.
Variants and Related Words
- Flyby (n): A flight past a particular point, especially by an aircraft or spacecraft.
- Flypast (n, chiefly British): A ceremonial flight of aircraft past a person or a place.
Synonyms
- Zoom by: To move past very quickly, often with a buzzing or humming sound.
- Whiz by: To move past at a very high speed.
- Speed past: To move past rapidly.
Related Phrasal Verbs
- Fly past: Very similar in meaning to "fly by," often used interchangeably, especially in British English.
- The royal jets flew past the parade grounds.
- Swoop by: To move downward rapidly past a point.
- The eagle swooped by to catch its prey.
Related Idioms
- Time flies (when you're having fun): An idiom stating that time seems to pass quickly during enjoyable activities. This is related to the figurative use of "fly by."
- I can't believe it's midnight already! Time flies!
Verb
- move by very quickly
- pass by while flying
- An enemy plane flew by