drive

verb

\ ˈdrīv

drove\ ˈdrōv

\; driven\ ˈdri-vən

\; driving\ ˈdrī-viŋ

Definition of drive

(Entry 1 of 2)

transitive verb

1a : to frighten or prod (game, cattle, etc.) into moving in a desired direction drive cattle across the prairie

b hunting : to go through (an area) driving game animals drive the other side of the mountain

2 : to carry on or through energetically drives a hard bargain

3a : to impart a forward motion to by physical force Waves drove the boat ashore. drive the nail into the beam

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

4a : to direct the motions and course of (a draft animal) drive an ox

b : to operate the mechanism and controls and direct the course of (a vehicle) drive a car

c : to convey in a vehicle His father drove me home.

d : to float (logs) down a stream

5a : 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 drives addicts to steal.

e : to project, inject, or impress incisively drove her point home

6 mining : to force (a passage) by pressing or digging drive a tunnel

7a : to propel (an object of play) swiftly or forcefully drove a long fly ball to the warning track

b golf : to hit (a ball) from the tee especially with a driver (see driver sense f) drove the ball down the fairway also : to drive a golf ball onto (a green)

c baseball : to cause (a run or runner) to be scored (see score entry 2 sense 4a(2)) —usually used with in drove him in with a single

8 : to give shape or impulse to factors that drive the business cycle the ideas that have driven history

intransitive verb

1a : to dash, plunge, or surge ahead rapidly or violently rudely drove past her

b : to progress with strong momentum the rain was driving hard

c basketball : to make a quick and forceful move driving to the hoop

2a : to operate a vehicle learned to drive at the age of seventeen

b : to have oneself carried in a vehicle drove to Canada as a kid

3 golf : to drive a golf ball drove down the fairway

drive at

: to intend to express, convey, or accomplish couldn't understand what she was driving at

drive

noun, often attributive

Definition of drive (Entry 2 of 2)

1 : an act of driving:

a : a trip in a carriage or automobile a short drive to the coast

b : an instance of collecting and moving animals (such as game or cattle) together in a desired direction also : the animals gathered and driven (see drive entry 1 sense transitive 1a)

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 propelling an object of play (such as a golf ball) swiftly or forcefully

(2) : the flight of a ball a high drive to left field

2a : a private road : driveway

b : a public road for driving (as in a park)

3 : the state of being hurried and under pressure elude the ruthless drive of work and worry— S. H. Adams

4a : a strong systematic group effort a fund-raising drive

b : a sustained offensive (see offensive entry 1 sense 1) effort the drive ended in a touchdown

5a mechanical engineering : 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

6a : an offensive, aggressive, or expansionist move especially : a strong military attack against enemy-held terrain

b basketball : a quick and aggressive move toward the basket

7a biology : 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 his drive and enthusiasm overcame all obstacles — Times Literary Supplement

8 computers : a device for reading or writing on magnetic, optical, or electronic media (such as tapes, disks, or flash memory)

Other Words from drive Synonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about drive

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Other Words from drive

Verb

drivability or less commonly driveability \ ˌdrī-və-ˈbi-lə-tē

\ noun

drivable or less commonly driveable \ ˈdrī-və-bəl

\ adjective

Choose the Right Synonym for drive

Verb

move, actuate, drive, impel mean to set or keep in motion. move is very general and implies no more than the fact of changing position. moved the furniture actuate stresses transmission of power so as to work or set in motion. turbines actuated by waterpower drive implies imparting forward and continuous motion and often stresses the effect rather than the impetus. a ship driven aground by hurricane winds impel is usually figurative and suggests a great motivating impetus. a candidate impelled by ambition

Examples of drive in a Sentence

Verb

He drove the car down a bumpy road. Do you want to drive or should I? He is learning to drive. The car stopped and then drove off. A car drove by us slowly. The bus slowly drove away. We drove all night and arrived at dawn. We drove 160 miles to get here. I drive on this route every day. I drive this route every day.

Noun

It's a two-hour drive to the beach. Her house is an hour's drive east of Los Angeles. We took a pleasant drive in the country. Would you like to go for a drive? A white car was parked in the drive.

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

That additional, unexpected slice of value on a consistent basis is a surefire way to drive career advancement, according to Welch. — Josh Linkner, Detroit Free Press, "What you do for customer loyalty can make or break your business," 13 July 2019 Some see the Russian sale as an attempt to drive a wedge between NATO allies. — Washington Post, "US deciding how to punish ally Turkey over Russian arms deal," 13 July 2019 Growing up in Montebello, Moreno, 40, had to drive nearly an hour in traffic every day to the nearest strong club in Cerritos. — Bill Plaschke, latimes.com, "Los Angeles’ Latina club is trying to change the face of women’s soccer," 13 July 2019 That and his smarts are enough to drive a serious wedge between Cap and Iron Man that breaks their relationship for quite a while. — Brian Truitt, USA TODAY, "Marvel's biggest, baddest movie villains (from Mysterio to Killmonger), definitively ranked," 12 July 2019 The social network reaped more than $55 billion in revenue in 2018 — 10 times the amount of the fine approved by the commission — as the digital advertising industry has consolidated to increasingly drive dollars to a handful of tech companies. — Cecilia Kang, New York Times, "F.T.C. Approves Facebook Fine of About $5 Billion," 12 July 2019 Flash flooding can cause hazardous driving conditions, and drivers are urged not to drive into floodwaters, which can easily carry vehicles away. — Scott Dance, baltimoresun.com, "Maryland weather: Trapped vehicles, downed power lines reported after storms move through Baltimore region," 12 July 2019 The credit has varied each year as more residents in the two counties switch to driving an electric vehicle. — Ramona Sentinel, "SDG&E to credit electric vehicle drivers $850," 11 July 2019 Any engineer can [use Node] to build a cutting-edge prediction model around the business outcomes that their applications were initially built to drive. — Alyssa Newcomb, Fortune, "Artificial Intuition Wants to Guide Business Decisions. Can It Improve on ‘Going With Your Gut’?," 11 July 2019

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

Last year the drive collected 231,415 new supplies, including pens, pencils, crayons, glue sticks, binders, and notebooks, along with about 6,000 backpacks, Rodriguez said. — Deborah Sullivan Brennan, San Diego Union-Tribune, "Stuff the Bus campaign collecting school supplies for homeless students," 12 July 2019 Now billionaire Tom Steyer wants the Democratic nomination for president of the United States after spending money to promote liberal causes, most visibly the fight against global warming and the drive to impeach Trump. — latimes.com, "Today: A Retreat, Without a Question," 12 July 2019 But the drive was halted by Houthi resistance and an international outcry over fears that Hudaydah could be cut off, endangering food supplies to millions of Yemenis threatened by famine. — Declan Walsh, New York Times, "U.A.E. Pulls Most Forces From Yemen in Blow to Saudi War Effort," 11 July 2019 The big plays became the downfall in the championship game when Clemson hit on plays of 26-plus yards on each of the five offensive touchdown drives. — Michael Casagrande | Mcasagrande@al.com, al.com, "What Alabama football should fix in 2019," 11 July 2019 The legal evolution is moving at a snail's pace compared to the creativity and the drive that a lot of women have to make these kinds of events happen. — Ella Riley-adams, Vogue, "At Portland’s “Weed Prom,” Women Gathered to Celebrate and Strategize," 11 July 2019 Distribution will happen in August the week after the drive ends. — Jane Stueckemann, Houston Chronicle, "United Way of Greater Houston kicks off socks, underwear drive for kids in need," 8 July 2019 Parking and transportation The vast majority of people who go to the Mountain View drive and park at the venue’s big lot. — Jim Harrington, The Mercury News, "Mountain Winery Guide: What you need to know about the venue," 3 July 2019 One decision failed to stop the drive toward increasingly partisan gerrymanders, and the other temporarily blocked the Trump Administration’s attempt to leverage the decennial United States Census for partisan advantage. — Adam Eichen, The New Republic, "Restoring Democracy is Not Open to Debate," 2 July 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'drive.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.