DRIVE (driven, drove)

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does drive mean? 

• DRIVE (noun)
  The noun DRIVE has 12 senses:

1. the act of applying force to propel something

2. a mechanism by which force or power is transmitted in a machine

3. a series of actions advancing a principle or tending toward a particular end

4. a road leading up to a private house

5. the trait of being highly motivated

6. hitting a golf ball off of a tee with a driver

7. the act of driving a herd of animals overland

8. a journey in a vehicle (usually an automobile)

9. a physiological state corresponding to a strong need or desire

10. (computer science) a device that writes data onto or reads data from a storage medium

11. a wide scenic road planted with trees

12. (sports) a hard straight return (as in tennis or squash)

  Familiarity information: DRIVE used as a noun is familiar.

• DRIVE (verb)
  The verb DRIVE has 22 senses:

1. operate or control a vehicle

2. travel or be transported in a vehicle

3. cause someone or something to move by driving

4. force into or from an action or state, either physically or metaphorically

5. to compel or force or urge relentlessly or exert coercive pressure on, or motivate strongly

6. cause to move back by force or influence

7. compel somebody to do something, often against his own will or judgment

8. push, propel, or press with force

9. cause to move rapidly by striking or throwing with force

10. strive and make an effort to reach a goal

11. move into a desired direction of discourse

12. have certain properties when driven

13. work as a driver

14. move by being propelled by a force

15. urge forward

16. proceed along in a vehicle

17. strike with a driver, as in teeing off

18. hit very hard, as by swinging a bat horizontally

19. excavate horizontally

20. cause to function by supplying the force or power for or by controlling

21. (hunting) search for game

22. (hunting) chase from cover into more open ground

  Familiarity information: DRIVE used as a verb is very familiar.

 Dictionary entry details 

• DRIVE (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

The act of applying force to propel something

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

drive; driving force; thrust

Context example:

after reaching the desired velocity the drive is cut off

Hypernyms ("drive" is a kind of...):

actuation; propulsion (the act of propelling)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "drive"):

impetus; impulse; impulsion (the act of applying force suddenly)

firewall ((colloquial) the application of maximum thrust)

Derivation:

drive (cause to move back by force or influence)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A mechanism by which force or power is transmitted in a machine

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Context example:

a variable speed drive permitted operation through a range of speeds

Hypernyms ("drive" is a kind of...):

mechanism (device consisting of a piece of machinery; has moving parts that perform some function)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "drive"):

fusee; fusee drive (a spirally grooved spindle in a clock that counteracts the diminishing power of the uncoiling mainspring)

Derivation:

drive (cause to function by supplying the force or power for or by controlling)

Sense 3

Meaning:

A series of actions advancing a principle or tending toward a particular end

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

campaign; cause; crusade; drive; effort; movement

Context example:

contributed to the war effort

Hypernyms ("drive" is a kind of...):

venture (any venturesome undertaking especially one with an uncertain outcome)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "drive"):

fund-raising campaign; fund-raising drive; fund-raising effort (a campaign to raise money for some cause)

youth crusade; youth movement (political or religious or social reform movement or agitation consisting chiefly of young people)

war (a concerted campaign to end something that is injurious)

reform (a campaign aimed to correct abuses or malpractices)

lost cause (a defeated cause or a cause for which defeat is inevitable)

gay lib; gay liberation movement (the movement aimed at liberating homosexuals from legal or social or economic oppression)

feminism; feminist movement; women's lib; women's liberation movement (the movement aimed at equal rights for women)

campaigning; candidacy; candidature; electioneering; political campaign (the campaign of a candidate to be elected)

consumerism (a movement advocating greater protection of the interests of consumers)

charm campaign (a campaign of flattery and friendliness (by a company, politician, etc.) to become more popular and gain support)

anti-war movement (a campaign against entering or continuing a war)

ad blitz; ad campaign; advertising campaign (an organized program of advertisements)

Derivation:

drive (move into a desired direction of discourse)

drive (cause to move back by force or influence)

drive (force into or from an action or state, either physically or metaphorically)

drive (compel somebody to do something, often against his own will or judgment)

drive (strive and make an effort to reach a goal)

Sense 4

Meaning:

A road leading up to a private house

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

drive; driveway; private road

Context example:

they parked in the driveway

Hypernyms ("drive" is a kind of...):

road; route (an open way (generally public) for travel or transportation)

Meronyms (parts of "drive"):

turnaround (an area sufficiently large for a vehicle to turn around)

Derivation:

drive (have certain properties when driven)

drive (work as a driver)

drive (move by being propelled by a force)

drive (operate or control a vehicle)

drive (proceed along in a vehicle)

drive (travel or be transported in a vehicle)

Sense 5

Meaning:

The trait of being highly motivated

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Context example:

his drive and energy exhausted his co-workers

Hypernyms ("drive" is a kind of...):

trait (a distinguishing feature of your personal nature)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "drive"):

action (the trait of being active and energetic and forceful)

enterprise; enterprisingness; go-ahead; initiative (readiness to embark on bold new ventures)

ambition; ambitiousness (a strong drive for success)

energy; get-up-and-go; push (enterprising or ambitious drive)

aggressiveness (the quality of being bold and enterprising)

Sense 6

Meaning:

Hitting a golf ball off of a tee with a driver

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

drive; driving

Context example:

he sliced his drive out of bounds

Hypernyms ("drive" is a kind of...):

golf shot; golf stroke; swing (the act of swinging a golf club at a golf ball and (usually) hitting it)

Derivation:

drive (push, propel, or press with force)

drive (cause to move rapidly by striking or throwing with force)

drive (strike with a driver, as in teeing off)

Sense 7

Meaning:

The act of driving a herd of animals overland

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Hypernyms ("drive" is a kind of...):

conveyance; transfer; transferral; transport; transportation (the act of moving something from one location to another)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "drive"):

cattle drive (driving a bovine herd (as cows or bulls or steers))

Sense 8

Meaning:

A journey in a vehicle (usually an automobile)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

drive; ride

Context example:

he took the family for a drive in his new car

Hypernyms ("drive" is a kind of...):

journey; journeying (the act of traveling from one place to another)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "drive"):

joyride (a ride in a car taken solely for pleasure)

spin (a short drive in a car)

lift (a ride in a car)

Derivation:

drive (travel or be transported in a vehicle)

drive (have certain properties when driven)

drive (work as a driver)

drive (move by being propelled by a force)

drive (operate or control a vehicle)

drive (proceed along in a vehicle)

drive (cause someone or something to move by driving)

Sense 9

Meaning:

A physiological state corresponding to a strong need or desire

Classified under:

Nouns denoting stable states of affairs

Hypernyms ("drive" is a kind of...):

physical condition; physiological condition; physiological state (the condition or state of the body or bodily functions)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "drive"):

hypoxia (oxygen deficiency causing a very strong drive to correct the deficiency)

sex drive (a physiological need for sexual activity)

thirst; thirstiness (a physiological need to drink)

hunger; hungriness (a physiological need for food; the consequence of food deprivation)

Derivation:

drive (to compel or force or urge relentlessly or exert coercive pressure on, or motivate strongly)

Sense 10

Meaning:

(computer science) a device that writes data onto or reads data from a storage medium

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("drive" is a kind of...):

device (an instrumentality invented for a particular purpose)

Meronyms (parts of "drive"):

arbor; mandrel; mandril; spindle (any of various rotating shafts that serve as axes for larger rotating parts)

Domain category:

computer science; computing (the branch of engineering science that studies (with the aid of computers) computable processes and structures)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "drive"):

RAM disk ((computer science) a virtual drive that is created by setting aside part of the random-access memory to use as if it were a group of sectors)

internal drive (a drive mounted inside of a computer)

disc drive; disk drive; hard drive; Winchester drive (computer hardware that holds and spins a magnetic or optical disk and reads and writes information on it)

CD-ROM drive (a drive that is connected to a computer and on which a CD-ROM can be 'played')

CD drive (a drive that reads a compact disc and that is connected to an audio system)

external drive (a drive with its own power supply and fan mounted outside the computer system enclosure and connected to the computer by a cable)

Sense 11

Meaning:

A wide scenic road planted with trees

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

drive; parkway

Context example:

the riverside drive offers many exciting scenic views

Hypernyms ("drive" is a kind of...):

road; route (an open way (generally public) for travel or transportation)

Derivation:

drive (work as a driver)

drive (have certain properties when driven)

drive (move by being propelled by a force)

drive (operate or control a vehicle)

drive (proceed along in a vehicle)

drive (travel or be transported in a vehicle)

drive (cause someone or something to move by driving)

Sense 12

Meaning:

(sports) a hard straight return (as in tennis or squash)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Hypernyms ("drive" is a kind of...):

return (a tennis stroke that sends the ball back to the other player)

Domain category:

squash; squash rackets; squash racquets (a game played in an enclosed court by two or four players who strike the ball with long-handled rackets)

lawn tennis; tennis (a game played with rackets by two or four players who hit a ball back and forth over a net that divides the court)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "drive"):

forehand drive ((sports) hard straight return made on the forehand side (as in tennis or badminton or squash))

backhand drive (a hard straight return made on the backhand side)

Derivation:

drive (hit very hard, as by swinging a bat horizontally)

drive (cause to move rapidly by striking or throwing with force)

drive (push, propel, or press with force)

• DRIVE (verb)

Conjugation:

Sense 1

Meaning:

Operate or control a vehicle

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Context example:

Can you drive this four-wheel truck?

Hypernyms (to "drive" is one way to...):

control; operate (handle and cause to function)

Verb group:

drive; take (proceed along in a vehicle)

drive (work as a driver)

drive; ride (have certain properties when driven)

Domain category:

driving (the act of controlling and steering the movement of a vehicle or animal)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "drive"):

coach (drive a coach)

test drive (test a vehicle by driving it)

drive (move by being propelled by a force)

tool (drive)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sentence example:

They drive the car down the avenue

Derivation:

driving (the act of controlling and steering the movement of a vehicle or animal)

driver (the operator of a motor vehicle)

drive (a road leading up to a private house)

drive (a journey in a vehicle (usually an automobile))

drive (a wide scenic road planted with trees)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Travel or be transported in a vehicle

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Synonyms:

drive; motor

Context example:

They motored to London for the theater

Hypernyms (to "drive" is one way to...):

carry; transport (move while supporting, either in a vehicle or in one's hands or on one's body)

go; locomote; move; travel (change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically)

"Drive" entails doing...:

ride (be carried or travel on or in a vehicle)

Verb group:

drive; take (proceed along in a vehicle)

Domain category:

driving (the act of controlling and steering the movement of a vehicle or animal)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s PP

Sentence example:

They drive up the hill

Derivation:

drive (a journey in a vehicle (usually an automobile))

drive (a wide scenic road planted with trees)

drive (a road leading up to a private house)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Cause someone or something to move by driving

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Context example:

We drove the car to the garage

Hypernyms (to "drive" is one way to...):

displace; move (cause to move or shift into a new position or place, both in a concrete and in an abstract sense)

Verb group:

drive; take (proceed along in a vehicle)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "drive"):

pull (steer into a certain direction)

chauffeur; drive around (drive someone in a vehicle)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s somebody PP
Somebody ----s something PP

Also:

drive away; drive off; drive out (force to go away; used both with concrete and metaphoric meanings)

drive out (force or drive out)

Derivation:

drive (a journey in a vehicle (usually an automobile))

drive (a wide scenic road planted with trees)

driver (the operator of a motor vehicle)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Force into or from an action or state, either physically or metaphorically

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

drive; force; ram

Context example:

He drives me mad

Hypernyms (to "drive" is one way to...):

thrust (push forcefully)

Verb group:

drive (compel somebody to do something, often against his own will or judgment)

drive (to compel or force or urge relentlessly or exert coercive pressure on, or motivate strongly)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "drive"):

toe; toenail (drive obliquely)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something PP

Also:

drive in (cause to penetrate, as with a circular motion)

Derivation:

drive (a series of actions advancing a principle or tending toward a particular end)

Sense 5

Meaning:

To compel or force or urge relentlessly or exert coercive pressure on, or motivate strongly

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Context example:

She is driven by her passion

Hypernyms (to "drive" is one way to...):

coerce; force; hale; pressure; squeeze (to cause to do through pressure or necessity, by physical, moral or intellectual means)

Verb group:

drive; force; ram (force into or from an action or state, either physically or metaphorically)

drive (compel somebody to do something, often against his own will or judgment)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody

Sentence example:

They drive him to write the letter

Derivation:

drive (a physiological state corresponding to a strong need or desire)

Sense 6

Meaning:

Cause to move back by force or influence

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

beat back; drive; force back; push back; repel; repulse

Context example:

beat back the invaders

Hypernyms (to "drive" is one way to...):

force; push (move with force)

Verb group:

drive (cause to move rapidly by striking or throwing with force)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody
Something ----s something
Somebody ----s something from somebody
Somebody ----s somebody PP
Somebody ----s something PP

Derivation:

drive (a series of actions advancing a principle or tending toward a particular end)

drive (the act of applying force to propel something)

Sense 7

Meaning:

Compel somebody to do something, often against his own will or judgment

Classified under:

Verbs of sewing, baking, painting, performing

Context example:

She finally drove him to change jobs

Hypernyms (to "drive" is one way to...):

make (compel or make somebody or something to act in a certain way)

Verb group:

drive; force; ram (force into or from an action or state, either physically or metaphorically)

drive (to compel or force or urge relentlessly or exert coercive pressure on, or motivate strongly)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s somebody to INFINITIVE

Derivation:

drive (a series of actions advancing a principle or tending toward a particular end)

Sense 8

Meaning:

Push, propel, or press with force

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Context example:

Drive a nail into the wall

Hypernyms (to "drive" is one way to...):

impel; propel (cause to move forward with force)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Sentence example:

The horses drive across the field

Derivation:

drive ((sports) a hard straight return (as in tennis or squash))

drive (hitting a golf ball off of a tee with a driver)

driver (someone who drives animals that pull a vehicle)

driving (the act of controlling and steering the movement of a vehicle or animal)

Sense 9

Meaning:

Cause to move rapidly by striking or throwing with force

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Context example:

drive the ball far out into the field

Hypernyms (to "drive" is one way to...):

throw (propel through the air)

Verb group:

drive (strike with a driver, as in teeing off)

beat back; drive; force back; push back; repel; repulse (cause to move back by force or influence)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Derivation:

drive ((sports) a hard straight return (as in tennis or squash))

drive (hitting a golf ball off of a tee with a driver)

Sense 10

Meaning:

Strive and make an effort to reach a goal

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Synonyms:

drive; labor; labour; push; tug

Context example:

She is driving away at her doctoral thesis

Hypernyms (to "drive" is one way to...):

fight; struggle (make a strenuous or labored effort)

Verb group:

bear on; push (press, drive, or impel (someone) to action or completion of an action)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "drive"):

reach; strain; strive (to exert much effort or energy)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s to INFINITIVE

Derivation:

drive (a series of actions advancing a principle or tending toward a particular end)

Sense 11

Meaning:

Move into a desired direction of discourse

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Synonyms:

aim; drive; get

Context example:

What are you driving at?

Hypernyms (to "drive" is one way to...):

intend; mean (mean or intend to express or convey)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s PP

Derivation:

drift (the pervading meaning or tenor)

drift (a general tendency to change (as of opinion))

drive (a series of actions advancing a principle or tending toward a particular end)

Sense 12

Meaning:

Have certain properties when driven

Classified under:

Verbs of being, having, spatial relations

Synonyms:

drive; ride

Context example:

My new truck drives well

Verb group:

drive (operate or control a vehicle)

ride (be carried or travel on or in a vehicle)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s Adjective/Noun

Sentence example:

These cars won't drive

Derivation:

drive (a journey in a vehicle (usually an automobile))

drive (a wide scenic road planted with trees)

drive (a road leading up to a private house)

Sense 13

Meaning:

Work as a driver

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Context example:

She drives for the taxi company in Newark

Hypernyms (to "drive" is one way to...):

do work; work (be employed)

Verb group:

drive (operate or control a vehicle)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

drive (a journey in a vehicle (usually an automobile))

drive (a wide scenic road planted with trees)

drive (a road leading up to a private house)

driver (the operator of a motor vehicle)

Sense 14

Meaning:

Move by being propelled by a force

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Context example:

The car drove around the corner

Hypernyms (to "drive" is one way to...):

go; locomote; move; travel (change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically)

drive (operate or control a vehicle)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "drive"):

pull (move into a certain direction)

Sentence frame:

Something is ----ing PP

Derivation:

drive (a wide scenic road planted with trees)

drive (a road leading up to a private house)

drive (a journey in a vehicle (usually an automobile))

Sense 15

Meaning:

Urge forward

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Context example:

drive the cows into the barn

Hypernyms (to "drive" is one way to...):

force; push (move with force)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "drive"):

mush (drive (a team of dogs or a dogsled))

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 16

Meaning:

Proceed along in a vehicle

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Synonyms:

drive; take

Context example:

We drive the turnpike to work

Hypernyms (to "drive" is one way to...):

cover; cross; cut across; cut through; get across; get over; pass over; track; traverse (travel across or pass over)

Verb group:

drive; motor (travel or be transported in a vehicle)

drive (operate or control a vehicle)

drive (cause someone or something to move by driving)

Domain category:

driving (the act of controlling and steering the movement of a vehicle or animal)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

drive (a journey in a vehicle (usually an automobile))

drive (a wide scenic road planted with trees)

drive (a road leading up to a private house)

Sense 17

Meaning:

Strike with a driver, as in teeing off

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Context example:

drive a golf ball

Hypernyms (to "drive" is one way to...):

hit (cause to move by striking)

Verb group:

drive (hit very hard, as by swinging a bat horizontally)

drive (cause to move rapidly by striking or throwing with force)

Domain category:

golf; golf game (a game played on a large open course with 9 or 18 holes; the object is use as few strokes as possible in playing all the holes)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

driving (hitting a golf ball off of a tee with a driver)

driver (a golfer who hits the golf ball with a driver)

drive (hitting a golf ball off of a tee with a driver)

driver (a golf club (a wood) with a near vertical face that is used for hitting long shots from the tee)

Sense 18

Meaning:

Hit very hard, as by swinging a bat horizontally

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Context example:

drive a ball

Hypernyms (to "drive" is one way to...):

hit (cause to move by striking)

Verb group:

drive (strike with a driver, as in teeing off)

Domain category:

athletics; sport (an active diversion requiring physical exertion and competition)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

drive ((sports) a hard straight return (as in tennis or squash))

Sense 19

Meaning:

Excavate horizontally

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Context example:

drive a tunnel

Hypernyms (to "drive" is one way to...):

dig; excavate; hollow (remove the inner part or the core of)

Domain category:

excavation; mining (the act of extracting ores or coal etc from the earth)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

drift (a horizontal (or nearly horizontal) passageway in a mine)

Sense 20

Meaning:

Cause to function by supplying the force or power for or by controlling

Classified under:

Verbs of eating and drinking

Context example:

this device drives the disks for the computer

Hypernyms (to "drive" is one way to...):

power (supply the force or power for the functioning of)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s something

Derivation:

drive (a mechanism by which force or power is transmitted in a machine)

driver ((computer science) a program that determines how a computer will communicate with a peripheral device)

Sense 21

Meaning:

(hunting) search for game

Classified under:

Verbs of fighting, athletic activities

Context example:

drive the forest

Hypernyms (to "drive" is one way to...):

hunt; hunt down; run; track down (pursue for food or sport (as of wild animals))

Verb group:

drive ((hunting) chase from cover into more open ground)

Domain category:

hunt; hunting (the pursuit and killing or capture of wild animals regarded as a sport)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 22

Meaning:

(hunting) chase from cover into more open ground

Classified under:

Verbs of fighting, athletic activities

Context example:

drive the game

Hypernyms (to "drive" is one way to...):

hunt; hunt down; run; track down (pursue for food or sport (as of wild animals))

Verb group:

drive ((hunting) search for game)

Domain category:

hunt; hunting (the pursuit and killing or capture of wild animals regarded as a sport)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

 Context examples 

It was about ten minutes before we regained our cab and drove back into Ross, Holmes still carrying with him the stone which he had picked up in the wood.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

All day, as I drove upon my round, I turned over the case in my mind and found no explanation which appeared to me to be adequate.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Then, one day, she come to me. 'Charley,' she says, 'how do you like to work for me? You drive dogs, make camp, travel with me.'

(Love of Life and Other Stories, by Jack London)

“There has been many a one, I fancy, overcome in the same way. I wonder who first discovered the efficacy of poetry in driving away love!”

(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)

“Well, of course, if the case were not an odd one we should not have been driven to ask you for an explanation,” said young Mr. Alec.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

He pulled when he could; when he could no longer pull, he fell down and remained down till blows from whip or club drove him to his feet again.

(The Call of the Wild, by Jack London)

It had been so forcibly driven against the jamb that part of the woodwork was splintered.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

“Drive! I don't want no driving,” returned Mr. Peggotty with an honest laugh.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

And White Fang allowed himself to be driven away.

(White Fang, by Jack London)

I honestly could not understand what he was driving at.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)