Drive Definition
drive
noun
- the act of applying force to propel something; "after reaching the desired velocity the drive is cut off"
- a mechanism by which force or power is transmitted in a machine; "a variable speed drive permitted operation through a range of speeds"
- a series of actions advancing a principle or tending toward a particular end; "he supported populist campaigns"; "they worked in the cause of world peace"; "the team was ready for a drive toward the pennant"; "the movement to end slavery"; "contributed to the war effort"
- a road leading up to a private house; "they parked in the driveway"
- the trait of being highly motivated; "his drive and energy exhausted his co-workers"
- hitting a golf ball off of a tee with a driver; "he sliced his drive out of bounds"
- the act of driving a herd of animals overland
- a journey in a vehicle (usually an automobile); "he took the family for a drive in his new car"
- a physiological state corresponding to a strong need or desire
- (computer science) a device that writes data onto or reads data from a storage medium
- a wide scenic road planted with trees; "the riverside drive offers many exciting scenic views"
- (sports) a hard straight return (as in tennis or squash)
verb
- operate or control a vehicle; "drive a car or bus"; "Can you drive this four-wheel truck?"
- travel or be transported in a vehicle; "We drove to the university every morning"; "They motored to London for the theater"
- cause someone or something to move by driving; "She drove me to school every day"; "We drove the car to the garage"
- force into or from an action or state, either physically or metaphorically; "She rammed her mind into focus"; "He drives me mad"
- to compel or force or urge relentlessly or exert coercive pressure on, or motivate strongly; "She is driven by her passion"
- cause to move back by force or influence; "repel the enemy"; "push back the urge to smoke"; "beat back the invaders"
- compel somebody to do something, often against his own will or judgment; "She finally drove him to change jobs"
- push, propel, or press with force; "Drive a nail into the wall"
- cause to move rapidly by striking or throwing with force; "drive the ball far out into the field"
- strive and make an effort to reach a goal; "She tugged for years to make a decent living"; "We have to push a little to make the deadline!"; "She is driving away at her doctoral thesis"
- move into a desired direction of discourse; "What are you driving at?"
- have certain properties when driven; "This car rides smoothly"; "My new truck drives well"
- work as a driver; "He drives a bread truck"; "She drives for the taxi company in Newark"
- move by being propelled by a force; "The car drove around the corner"
- urge forward; "drive the cows into the barn"
- proceed along in a vehicle; "We drive the turnpike to work"
- strike with a driver, as in teeing off; "drive a golf ball"
- hit very hard, as by swinging a bat horizontally; "drive a ball"
- excavate horizontally; "drive a tunnel"
- cause to function by supplying the force or power for or by controlling; "The amplifier drives the tube"; "steam drives the engines"; "this device drives the disks for the computer"
- hunting: search for game; "drive the forest"
- hunting: chase from cover into more open ground; "drive the game"
"Drive" in song lyrics
See how drive is used in real songs:
-
"I lost my license, and I'm suppose to drive"
1.4.0. Productions f/ Shawn Wigs, Toilet — Life's Been Good to Me -
"And hit them switches before I'm old enough to drive"
2 Low f/ Scarface — Funky Lil Brotha -
"Analyze this, you pitch I hit a line drive"
7L & Esoteric — Watch Me
Words that rhyme with drive
Usage tips for "drive"
Understanding the precise definition of a word helps you use it with confidence. When using "drive" in your writing, consider whether you need the word itself or one of its synonyms — subtle differences in meaning can change the tone of a sentence. If you're writing poetry or song lyrics, check the rhymes for drive to find words that pair well.