English Dictionary

Definition of “drove”

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1drove1 (drəʊvPronunciation for drove1) 

Definitions

verb

  1. the past tense of drive

2drove2 (drəʊvPronunciation for drove2) 

Definitions

noun

  1. a herd of livestock being driven together
  2. (often plural) a moving crowd of people
  3. a narrow irrigation channel
  4.  Also called drove chisela chisel with a broad edge used for dressing stone

verb

    1. (tr) to drive (a group of livestock), usually for a considerable distance
    2. (intr) to be employed as a drover
  2. to work (a stone surface) with a drove

Word Origin

Old English drāf  herd; related to Middle Low German drēfwech cattle pasture; see drive, drift

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

Usage examples

  • The madman left his crewman in charge, landed, stole a car in Durres and drove straight to Tirana.
    Jack Higgins, THE KEYS OF HELL (2002)
  • ) Years later, with no drinking buddies left, Jones drove his lawn mower to the liquor store.
    Maxim (2005)
  • And how its arrival in many a town drove local retailers out of business.
    Irish Times (2002)
  • Soltys stabbed his pregnant wife to death on Monday and then drove 20 miles to kill the aunt, uncle, and cousins.
    Glasgow Herald (2001)
  • In 1922, his nationalist forces finally drove the Greek invaders from Turkey.
    Jim Leavesley, George Biro, THE MEDICAL MYSTERIES E-OMNIBUS (2001)

Commonness

All English words that begin with 'D'

Related Terms

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