INDEX:
1. to drive a car, train, or other vehicle
2. to go somewhere in a car or other vehicle
3. when you take someone somewhere in a car etc
4. someone who drives a car, train etc
5. someone whose job it is to drive a car, train, etc
RELATED WORDS
see also
↑ TRAVEL
↑ ROAD/PATH
↑ ACCIDENT
↑ GET ON OR OFF A BUS, PLANE ETC
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1. to drive a car, train, or other vehicle
▷ drive /draɪv/ [intransitive/transitive verb]
to drive a car, bus, train etc :
▪ Drive carefully - the roads are very icy.
▪ They drive on the left in the UK.
learn to drive
▪ I’m learning to drive. In fact, I take my test next week.
drive a car/bus/truck etc
▪ We need someone to drive the school bus.
▪ ‘What car do you drive?’ ‘A Fiat Brava.’
▪ Driving a Rolls Royce into a swimming pool was one of the most dangerous stunts Crawford had to perform.
▷ driving /ˈdraɪvɪŋ/ [uncountable noun]
the activity of driving a car or other road vehicle :
▪ Driving in central London is pretty unpleasant.
dangerous/reckless/bad/careless driving
▪ She was arrested for dangerous driving.
driving lesson
▪ I got driving lessons for my 18th birthday.
driving offence
▪ The man was stopped by police for an alleged driving offence.
▷ ride /raɪd/ [intransitive/transitive verb]
to drive a vehicle with two wheels, for example a bicycle or motorcycle :
▪ I ride a bicycle to work every day.
▪ Riding a motorcycle is safer than riding a scooter.
▪ After you’ve been riding a bike all day, you’re really glad to reach your campsite.
▷ steer /stɪəʳ/ [intransitive/transitive verb]
to control the direction that a vehicle is going in by turning the wheel :
▪ Even the children had a go at steering the boat.
▪ Steer slightly to the right as you enter the bend.
steering wheel
the part of a car that you turn to change direction
▪ You can adjust the height of the steering wheel.
▷ be behind the wheel/at the wheel /biː bɪˌhaɪnd ðə ˈwiːl, ət ðə ˈwiːl/ [verb phrase]
to be the person who is driving a car, bus etc :
▪ An old Pontiac pulled up, with a young Mexican man at the wheel.
▪ Seymour was glad to be behind the wheel again after his two-year ban.
▷ be at the controls /biː ət ðə kənˈtrəʊlz/ [verb phrase]
to be the person who is driving or controlling a large vehicle such as a plane :
▪ The King himself was at the controls when his helicopter landed.
▪ The power boat, with Don at the controls, swept around the bay.
be at the controls of
▪ When I was a child I used to imagine myself at the controls of a fighter plane.
▷ joyriding /ˈdʒɔɪraɪdɪŋ/ [uncountable noun]
the activity of driving a stolen car very fast and dangerously for excitement :
▪ Joyriding is the most common type of crime among boys under 18.
go joyriding
▪ A group of youths went joyriding in stolen cars, causing three accidents before the police caught them.
joyrider [countable noun]
▪ Joyriders are becoming a serious problem in the inner cities.
2. to go somewhere in a car or other vehicle
▷ drive /draɪv/ [intransitive verb]
to go somewhere in a car :
▪ ‘How do you get to work?’ ‘I drive.’
drive to/from/into/through etc
▪ We drove to the airport, but couldn’t find anywhere to park.
▪ They drove home in silence.
drive off/away
leave somewhere in a car
▪ She drove off without saying goodbye.
drive 50 kilometres/100 miles etc
▪ Was the restaurant worth driving 50 miles for?
drive [countable noun]
a journey in a car :
▪ It’s a two-hour drive to Hamilton from here.
▷ by car/bike etc /baɪ ˈkɑːʳ/ [adverb]
to go somewhere in a car, on a bicycle etc - use this especially when you are comparing different methods of travelling :
▪ One group went by car and the others took a taxi.
▪ I can get to work in about 20 minutes by bike.
▪ I went by boat the first time I went to Tahiti.
▷ cycle /ˈsaɪk ə l/ [intransitive verb]
to go somewhere on a bicycle :
▪ Cycling isn’t only good for the environment - it’s a great form of exercise too.
cycle to/from/through etc
▪ I usually cycle through the park to get to school.
cycle 50 kilometres/10 miles etc
▪ It took about 20 minutes for her to cycle the 5 miles to her home.
▷ go for a drive also take a drive American /ˌgəʊ fər ə ˈdraɪv, ˌteɪk ə ˈdraɪv/ [verb phrase]
to go somewhere in a car, especially for enjoyment :
▪ We’ll go for a drive after lunch and see if we can find this park.
▪ We took a drive down to the ocean.
▷ go for a ride also take a ride American /ˌgəʊ fər ə ˈraɪd, ˌteɪk ə ˈraɪd/ [verb phrase]
to go somewhere in a car or on a bicycle especially for enjoyment :
▪ When you’ve finished your work, shall we take a ride?
▪ It was unusual that someone should be taking a ride on a stormy night like this.
3. when you take someone somewhere in a car etc
▷ take/drive somebody somewhere /ˈteɪk, ˈdraɪv somebody sʌmweəʳ/ [verb phrase]
▪ Could you take me to the station, please?
▪ The President was driven away in a big black limousine.
drive somebody home/back
▪ He always expected his girlfriend to drive him home at the end of the night.
▷ lift /lɪft/ especially British /ride /raɪd/ American [countable noun]
if you give someone a lift or a ride, you take them somewhere in your car :
▪ Never accept lifts from strangers.
give somebody a lift/ride
▪ Pedro stopped to give me a lift.
lift to
▪ Do you need a ride to school?
a lift/ride home
▪ I accepted her offer of a lift home.
▷ carpool /ˈkɑːʳpuːl/ [countable noun]
a group of car owners who agree to drive everyone in the group to work on different days, so that only one car is used at a time :
▪ I’ve been in a carpool with the same three women for ten years.
carpool lane
part of a road that only people who share cars can use
▪ a proposal to open up a new network of carpool lanes
carpool [intransitive verb] American :
▪ We should encourage more people to carpool.
carpooling [uncountable noun]
the practice of driving everyone in a group to work on different days :
▪ Despite efforts to promote carpooling, 70% of all commuters drive to work alone.
4. someone who drives a car, train etc
▷ driver /ˈdraɪvəʳ/ [countable noun]
someone who regularly drives or is driving a car, train, etc :
▪ Many drivers suffer from backache.
▪ The car was almost torn in half in the crash but amazingly the driver was unhurt.
▪ Car drivers now pay more than ever for fuel.
▪ Some women drivers are concerned about their personal safety.
driver’s seat/door/side etc
▪ He got into the driver’s seat and started the engine.
▷ motorist /ˈməʊt ə rɪst, ˈməʊt ə rəst/ [countable noun]
someone who drives a car - use this especially to talk about the costs of driving or the laws that affect driving :
▪ Motorists are developing the habit of buying a new car every other year.
▪ Safety needs to be improved, not only for motorists but also for pedestrians.
the motorist
all motorists
▪ The countryside is being destroyed for the benefit of the motorist.
▷ motorcyclist /ˈməʊtəʳˌsaɪklɪst, ˈməʊtəʳˌsaɪkləst/ [countable noun]
someone who rides a motorcycle :
▪ Three motorcyclists dressed in black rode past.
▪ The President’s car arrived with its escort of police motorcyclists.
▷ rider /ˈraɪdəʳ/ [countable noun]
someone who rides a bicycle or motorcycle :
▪ The rider wasn’t badly hurt, but his bicycle was all smashed- up.
▪ The leading rider in this year’s motorcycle championship is Wayne Rainey.
▷ cyclist /ˈsaɪklɪst, ˈsaɪkləst/ [countable noun] especially British
someone who rides a bicycle :
▪ Most cyclists in London have their bikes stolen eventually.
▪ Cyclists are demanding more and safer cycle paths in the city.
a keen cyclist
▪ Heather, a keen cyclist, is hoping to raise £10,000 by riding her bike across Europe.
5. someone whose job it is to drive a car, train, etc
▷ driver /ˈdraɪvəʳ/ [countable noun]
▪ The limousine pulled up outside the church and the driver got out.
truck/lorry etc driver
▪ A lot of truck drivers stop at this restaurant because it’s open all night.
cab/taxi/bus etc driver
▪ Harry asked the cab driver to stop outside the store for a couple of minutes while he bought a paper.
▷ chauffeur /ˈʃəʊfəʳ, ʃəʊˈfɜːʳ/ [countable noun]
someone whose job is to drive a car for someone else :
▪ I’ll learn to drive and be some film star’s chauffeur.
▪ a chauffeur-driven Rolls Royce