English Dictionary

Definition of “drive”

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drive (draɪvPronunciation for drive) 

Definitions

verb

Word forms: drives, driving, drove, drəʊv, driven, ˈdrɪvən
  1. to push, propel, or be pushed or propelled
  2. to control and guide the movement of (a vehicle, draught animal, etc)  ⇒ to drive a car 
  3. (tr) to compel or urge to work or act, esp excessively
  4. (tr) to goad or force into a specified attitude or state  ⇒ work drove him to despair 
  5. (tr) to cause (an object) to make or form (a hole, crack, etc)  ⇒ his blow drove a hole in the wall 
  6. to move or cause to move rapidly by striking or throwing with force
  7. sport to hit (a ball) very hard and straight, as (in cricket) with the bat swinging more or less vertically
  8. golf to strike (the ball) with a driver, as in teeing off
  9. (tr)
    1. to chase (game) from cover into more open ground
    2. to search (an area) for game
  10. to transport or be transported in a driven vehicle
  11. (intr) to rush or dash violently, esp against an obstacle or solid object  ⇒ the waves drove against the rock 
  12. (tr) to carry through or transact with vigour (esp in the phrase drive a hard bargain)
  13. (tr) to force (a component) into or out of its location by means of blows or a press
  14. (tr) mining to excavate horizontally
  15. (tr) New Zealand to fell (a tree or trees) by the impact of another felled tree
  16. See drive home

noun

  1. the act of driving
  2. a trip or journey in a driven vehicle
    1. a road for vehicles, esp a private road leading to a house
    2. ((capital when part of a street name)  ⇒ Woodland Drive 
  4. vigorous or urgent pressure, as in business
  5. a united effort, esp directed towards a common goal  ⇒ a charity drive 
  6. British a large gathering of persons to play cards, etc See beetle drive , whist drive
  7. energy, ambition, or initiative
  8. psychology a motive or interest, such as sex, hunger, or ambition, that actuates an organism to attain a goal
  9. a sustained and powerful military offensive
    1. the means by which force, torque, motion, or power is transmitted in a mechanism  ⇒ fluid drive 
    2. ((as modifier)  ⇒ a drive shaft 
  11. sport a hard straight shot or stroke
  12. a search for and chasing of game towards waiting guns
  13. electronics the signal applied to the input of an amplifier

Alternative Forms

ˈdrivable ˈdriveable adjective ˌdrivaˈbility ˌdriveaˈbility noun

Word Origin

Old English drīfan;  related to Old Frisian drīva,  Old Norse drīfa,  Gothic dreiban,  Old High German trīban

Translations

  • British English: drive Pronunciation for drive A drive is a journey in a vehicle such as a car.It was a long drive home.draɪv NOUN It was a long drive home.
  • Spanish: viaje en carroPronunciation for viaje en carro nm
  • French: promenade Pronunciation for promenade nm
  • German: Fahrt Pronunciation for Fahrt nf
  • Chinese: 驾驶Pronunciation for 驾驶 n
  • Arabic: نُزْهَةٌ في سَيَارَةPronunciation for نُزْهَةٌ في سَيَارَة n
  • Portuguese: passeio de carroPronunciation for passeio de carro nm
  • Russian: ездаPronunciation for езда nf
  • Croatian: vožnjaPronunciation for vožnja nf
  • Czech: jízdaPronunciation for jízda nf
  • Danish: kørselPronunciation for kørsel nutr
  • Dutch: ritPronunciation for rit nm
  • Finnish: ajomatkaPronunciation for ajomatka n
  • Greek: διαδρομή με όχημαPronunciation for διαδρομή με όχημα nf
  • Italian: guidaPronunciation for guida nf
  • Japanese: ドライブPronunciation for ドライブ n
  • Korean: 드라이브Pronunciation for 드라이브 n
  • Norwegian: kjøreturPronunciation for kjøretur nm
  • Polish: przejażdżkaPronunciation for przejażdżka nf
  • Brazilian Portuguese: passeio de carroPronunciation for passeio de carro nm
  • European Spanish: viaje en cochePronunciation for viaje en coche nm
  • Swedish: uppfartsvägPronunciation for uppfartsväg nutr
  • Thai: การขับPronunciation for การขับ n
  • Turkish: yolculukPronunciation for yolculuk n
  • Vietnamese: chuyến đi chơi bằng xePronunciation for chuyến đi chơi bằng xe n
  • British English: drive Pronunciation for drive When someone drives a vehicle, they make it go where they want.He knows how to drive a car. She never learned to drive.draɪv VERB He knows how to drive a car. She never learned to drive.
  • Spanish: conducir Pronunciation for conducir v
  • French: conduire Pronunciation for conduire vt
  • German: fahren Pronunciation for fahren v
  • Chinese: 驾驶Pronunciation for 驾驶 v
  • Arabic: يَقُودُPronunciation for يَقُودُ v
  • Portuguese: conduzirPronunciation for conduzir v
  • Russian: водитьPronunciation for водить v
  • Croatian: vozitiPronunciation for voziti v
  • Czech: říditPronunciation for řídit v
  • Danish: kørePronunciation for køre v
  • Dutch: rijdenPronunciation for rijden v
  • Finnish: ajaaPronunciation for ajaa v
  • Greek: οδηγώPronunciation for οδηγώ v
  • Italian: guidarePronunciation for guidare v
  • Japanese: 運転するPronunciation for 運転する v
  • Korean: 운전하다Pronunciation for 운전하다 v
  • Norwegian: kjørePronunciation for kjøre v
  • Polish: kierowaćPronunciation for kierować v
  • Brazilian Portuguese: dirigirPronunciation for dirigir v
  • European Spanish: conducir Pronunciation for conducir v
  • Swedish: köraPronunciation for köra v
  • Thai: ขับPronunciation for ขับ v
  • Turkish: sürmekPronunciation for sürmek v
  • Vietnamese: lái xePronunciation for lái xe v

Usage examples

  • And Serge appeared with my mother's car keys and said, no problem, he'd drive me.
    Anthony Masters, CASCADES - THE DAY OF THE DEAD (2001)
  • The property includes an Equestrian centre, all just five minutes drive from Horsham town centre (London approx 55 mins).
    Country Life (2004)
  • A Government headed by a man who would rather open pubs than drive this country forward.
    Irish Times (2002)
  • There are plans to revive the old handball tournament against the walls of Barr, symptomatic of the drive to rekindle the past here.
    Glasgow Herald (2001)
  • It was my third night without sleep, just the noise of the interference was enough to drive you potty.
    Alexander Games (compiler), THE ESSENTIAL SPIKE MILLIGAN (2002)

Commonness

All English words that begin with 'D'

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