From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishwatch the world go bywatch the world go byLOOK ATto relax outside by just looking at the people around you lingering in a pavement café, watching the world go by → watch
Examples from the Corpus
watch the world go by• In this little village you can still sit in the town café and watch the world go by.• Did Victorine have a favorite cafe from which she watched the world go by?• It's very pleasant to linger in a pavement cafe here and just watch the world go by.• Or simply relax and watch the world go by.• The George Street precinct is a great place to pause, enjoy the frequent street entertainment and watch the world go by.• This is not a place to stand and stare, or to sit and watch the world go by.• When we were lads Walton's doorway was where we always used to stand and watch the world go by.• Plenty have terraces from which to watch the world go by accompanied by a hot waffle or a glass of beer.• Anonymous, watching the world go by for a moment. 