WordGarden.iodrive
A1Pronunciation
UK
- /drˈaɪv/
US
- /ˈdraɪv/
Meanings
Verb
to control and operate a vehicle
to push, propel, or force someone or something to move or act
to power or make a machine or process operate
Noun
a trip made in a vehicle, especially a car
strong motivation, energy, or determination
a device or location for storing computer data
More meaningsFewer meanings
an organized effort to achieve a goal
Beyond the definition
"Drive" is one of those words that does a lot of work. Most often, it means operating a car or other vehicle and moving from one place to another. But it can also mean a strong inner push. Someone with "drive" has energy, purpose, and a real wish to succeed. The word can also mean to make something happen or to force movement in a certain direction: a storm might drive people inside, or rising prices might drive change.
It also appears in everyday expressions. If someone drives you crazy, they annoy or upset you a lot. If a person drives a hard bargain, they negotiate firmly. As a noun, it can mean a road leading to a house, a trip in a car, or in some fields, a strong hit or push forward. So the idea behind "drive" is usually motion, pressure, or strong purpose.
The word "drive" is very flexible, and that is part of what makes it so useful. Most commonly, it means operating a vehicle: "She drives to work every day." This basic idea is about controlling movement and pushing something forward.
From there, the word spreads into many related meanings. "Drive" can describe a strong inner force that pushes someone to act or succeed. A person with "drive" is motivated, active, and determined. You might say, "He has the drive to keep going even when things get hard." It can also mean causing something to happen or forcing a result: "The wind drove the rain against the windows," or "High demand drove prices up."
The word is also common in expressions. If something drives you crazy, it makes you feel very annoyed, upset, or overwhelmed. If someone drives a hard bargain, they negotiate in a tough and careful way. In these cases, the sense is still about pressure and force, even if no one is moving a car.
As a noun, "drive" has several uses. It can mean the private road leading up to a house. It can mean a trip by car, as in "We went for a drive after dinner." In sports, it can mean a powerful straight hit or a strong attacking movement. In computing, it can mean a storage device, such as a hard drive or disk drive.
So whether the word is about steering a car, pushing toward success, forcing change, taking a quiet trip, or naming a piece of technology, "drive" usually carries the same core feeling: movement, pressure, and purpose.
Examples
- 1
Commuting
I usually drive to work, but today I took the train.
- 2
Giving rides
Can you drive me to the station after dinner?
- 3
Road travel
We drove through the mountains in heavy rain.
- 4
Driving skill
She learned to drive when she was seventeen.
More examplesFewer examples
- 5
Rising costs
New safety rules are driving up the cost of housing.
- Patterndrive up + cost/price
make it increase
- 6
Research motivation
The need for cheaper energy is driving research in this area.
- 7
Annoyance
That constant buzzing noise is driving me crazy.
- Phrasedrive someone crazy
annoy someone very much
- 8
Self-pressure
You don't need to drive yourself so hard.
- Phrasedrive yourself hard
push yourself to work very hard
- 9
Journey length
It's a two-hour drive from the city to the coast.
- 10
Leisure trip
We went for a drive after lunch.
- 11
Determination
She has the drive to keep going even after a setback.
See also
Forms and spellings
5 forms open this card.
Main spelling
- drivenounverb
Forms
- driving-ing formverbnoun
- drivenpast participleverbnoun
- drovepast tenseverbnoun
- drivespluralnounverb