I. ˈdrīv verb
( drove ˈdrōv ; driv·en ˈdri-vən ; driv·ing ˈdrī-viŋ)
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English drīfan; akin to Old High German trīban to drive
Date: before 12th century
transitive verb
1.
a. : to frighten or prod (as game or cattle) into moving in a desired direction
b. : to go through (an area) driving game animals
2. : to carry on or through energetically
drive s a hard bargain
3.
a. : to impart a forward motion to by physical force
waves drove the boat ashore
b. : to repulse, remove, or cause to go by force, authority, or influence
drive the enemy back
c. : to set or keep in motion or operation
drive machinery by electricity
d. basketball : to move quickly and forcefully down or along
drive the lane
drive the baseline
4.
a. : to direct the motions and course of (a draft animal)
b. : to operate the mechanism and controls and direct the course of (as a vehicle)
drive a car
c. : to convey in a vehicle
his father drove me home
d. : to float (logs) down a stream
5.
a. : to exert inescapable or coercive pressure on : force
driven by his passions
b. : to compel to undergo or suffer a change (as in situation or emotional state)
drove him crazy
drove her out of business
c. : to urge relentlessly to continuous exertion
the sergeant drove his recruits
d. : to press or force into an activity, course, or direction
the drug habit drive s addicts to steal
e. : to project, inject, or impress incisively
drove her point home
6. : to force (a passage) by pressing or digging
7.
a. : to propel (an object of play) swiftly or forcefully
drove a long fly ball to the warning track
b. : to hit (a golf ball) from the tee especially with a driver ; also : to drive a golf ball onto (a green)
c. : to cause (a run or runner) to be scored in baseball — usually used with in
8. : to give shape or impulse to
factors that drive the business cycle
the ideas that have driven history
intransitive verb
1.
a. : to dash, plunge, or surge ahead rapidly or violently
b. : to progress with strong momentum
the rain was driving hard
c. : to make a quick and forceful move in basketball
driving to the hoop
2.
a. : to operate a vehicle
b. : to have oneself carried in a vehicle
3. : to drive a golf ball
Synonyms: see move
• driv·abil·i·ty also drive·abil·i·ty ˌdrī-və-ˈbi-lə-tē noun
• driv·able also drive·able ˈdrī-və-bəl adjective
•
- drive at
II. noun
Usage: often attributive
Date: 1785
1. : an act of driving:
a. : a trip in a carriage or automobile
a short drive to the coast
b. : a collection and driving together of animals ; also : the animals gathered
c. : a driving of cattle or sheep overland
d. : a hunt or shoot in which the game is driven within the hunter's range
e. : the guiding of logs downstream to a mill ; also : the floating logs amassed in a drive
f.
(1) : the act or an instance of driving an object of play (as a golf ball)
(2) : the flight of a ball
a high drive to left field
2.
a. : a private road : driveway
b. : a public road for driving (as in a park)
3. : the state of being hurried and under pressure
4.
a. : a strong systematic group effort
a fund-raising drive
b. : a sustained offensive effort
the drive ended in a touchdown
5.
a. : the means for giving motion to a machine or machine part
b. : the means by which the propulsive power of an automobile is applied to the road
front wheel drive
c. : the means by which the propulsion of an automotive vehicle is controlled and directed
a left-hand drive
6.
a. : an offensive, aggressive, or expansionist move ; especially : a strong military attack against enemy-held terrain
b. : a quick and aggressive move toward the basket in basketball
7.
a. : an urgent, basic, or instinctual need : a motivating physiological condition of an organism
a sexual drive
b. : an impelling culturally acquired concern, interest, or longing
the drive to succeed
c. : dynamic quality
8. : a device for reading or writing on magnetic or optical media (as tapes or disks)