fly by

The phrase "fly by" is versatile, often used to describe something moving quickly or passing swiftly in various contexts.

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Definition

B2General

(common, idiomatic)To pass or go by quickly, often referring to time.

Example

The weekend seemed to fly by.

C1Aviation

(technical)A prearranged, usually low-altitude flight by one or more airplanes over a public gathering.

Example

The air show featured an impressive fly by of fighter jets.

C1Space Exploration

(technical)A flight of a spacecraft past a celestial body close enough to gather scientific data.

Example

The spacecraft performed a fly by of Mars to capture high-resolution images.

Similar

Terms that have similar or relatively close meanings to "fly by":

fly upon fly out fly off fly low fly high dance fly go by forest fly ride by pass by take flight let fly fly in the buttermilk fly by the seat of one's pants catch flies on the fly jet off fly the coop fly the flag breeze past fly without a licence fly a kite take a flyer on the wing take wing flying kiss flying fish run past skate over lie by wet fly deer fly bird of passage blow through stop by go past frequent flyer buzz off float around fly ball