drive
drive — verb
1. to be the person in control of a car, bus, or other road vehicle, steering it al
to be the person in control of a car, bus, or other road vehicle, steering it along roads and deciding where it travels
Sade learned to drive when she was seventeen years old.
intransitive: learned to drive
Christopher drove his sister to the airport early this morning.
transitive: drive + person + to + place
The bus was driving slowly along a narrow mountain road in the rain.
progressive aspect + prepositional phrase of direction
Beatrix drives a small electric car to work every day.
Sari drove carefully through the heavy fog on her way home.
adverb of manner + drive through [condition]
- drive carefully
- drive fast
- drive to work
- drive a car
- learn to drive
- drive someone home
Grammar Patterns
drive + noun phrase (vehicle)
drive + adverb/prepositional phrase of direction
Usage Note
Can be used without an object when the type of vehicle is obvious ('Sade learned to drive'). When an object is used, it is typically a vehicle ('drive a truck') or a passenger ('drive the children to school').
Common Mistakes
2. to use physical force, strong pressure, or a compelling reason to make someone o
to use physical force, strong pressure, or a compelling reason to make someone or something go somewhere or leave a place
The strong wind drove the fishing boat toward the rocky shore.
drive + noun phrase + prepositional phrase of direction (physical force)
Farmers drove the cattle into the barn before the storm arrived.
Hunger drove the stray cat to search for food behind the restaurant.
drive + noun phrase + to-infinitive (strong influence)
Hyun's curiosity drove him to explore the old abandoned house near the park.
The soldiers drove the enemy forces back across the river under heavy fire.
drive + noun phrase + adverb of direction (back/away/out)
- drive away
- drive out
- drive back
- drive off
- drive into
- be driven by hunger/fear/curiosity
- push
less forceful; implies gentle or steady pressure rather than coercion ('push the cart forward')
- force
more direct and often implies resistance is overcome ('force the door open')
- chase
implies pursuit with the goal of catching or removing ('chase the cat out of the kitchen')
- propel
more formal; focuses on the motion itself ('propel the boat with oars')
Grammar Patterns
drive + noun phrase + preposition (away/out/off/back)
drive + noun phrase + to-infinitive
Usage Note
The force can be physical (wind, soldiers) or psychological (curiosity, hunger). The object being driven may be a person, animal, or thing. The direction phrase is almost always present.
Common Mistakes
3. to cause someone to experience a strong change in their mental or financial situ
to cause someone to experience a strong change in their mental or financial situation, typically moving them to a more extreme or difficult condition — used in patterns like 'drive someone to despair' or 'drive someone into bankruptcy'
The constant noise from the construction site drove the neighbors to despair.
drive + noun phrase + to + state (despair, tears, distraction)
Years of bullying at school drove Vivek to consider changing schools.
Mert's expensive spending habits drove him deep into debt before he turned thirty.
drive + noun phrase + into + financial state
The pressure of the final exams drove some students to tears of frustration.
The sudden loss of her job drove Priya to the edge of a breakdown.
drive + noun phrase + to the edge of [extreme state]
- drive mad
- drive crazy
- drive to despair
- drive to tears
- drive into debt
- drive to distraction
Grammar Patterns
drive + noun phrase + adjective (mad/crazy/wild)
drive + noun phrase + preposition + noun phrase (to despair / into debt / to tears)
Usage Note
Frequently used with prepositional phrases introduced by 'to' (drive to despair) or 'into' (drive into debt), and less commonly with adjectives like 'mad' or 'wild'. The result is always an extreme or heightened state. Distinguish from sense 4 (ANNOY GREATLY), which uses only informal adjectives and specifically refers to irritation.
Common Mistakes
4. to make someone feel very annoyed or lose their patience, especially because of
to make someone feel very annoyed or lose their patience, especially because of something annoying that continues over time — used only with informal complements like 'crazy', 'mad', 'nuts', or the phrase 'up the wall'
The constant barking of the dog next door drives Mrs. Chen crazy.
drive + noun phrase + crazy
Henrik's habit of tapping his pen on the desk drives his coworkers mad.
drive + noun phrase + mad
The slow internet connection at the office drives everyone up the wall.
drive + noun phrase + up the wall (idiomatic)
Sade's little brother kept interrupting her phone call, which drove her nuts.
Waiting in traffic for two hours every morning drives Ada to the point of screaming.
- drive crazy
- drive mad
- drive nuts
- drive up the wall
- drive bananas
- annoy
more general and less intense; lacks the idiomatic complements ('annoy someone')
- irritate
slightly more formal; implies a mild, often physical reaction ('irritate the skin')
- exasperate
formal; suggests that someone's patience has run out completely
Grammar Patterns
drive + noun phrase + adjective (crazy / mad / nuts / up the wall)
Usage Note
Highly informal in tone. Common complements include 'crazy', 'mad', 'nuts', 'bananas', and the phrase 'up the wall'. Unlike sense 3 (CAUSE STATE), this sense refers specifically to irritation rather than a broader emotional change.
Common Mistakes
❌ 'The cold weather drove me crazy.' (when meaning annoyed) — this could be ambiguous with sense 3 (CAUSE STATE). Add context to make the meaning of irritation clear.
5. to make someone feel a strong sexual desire or physical attraction — used inform
to make someone feel a strong sexual desire or physical attraction — used informally with complements like 'wild' or 'crazy with desire', and distinct from sense 3 because the result is specifically romantic or sexual arousal
Mika's low whisper and the way she held his gaze drove Javier wild with desire.
informal: drive + noun phrase + wild with desire
Sivan whispered something in his ear that drove him crazy with desire.
Every light touch from Camille drove Tomás wild with barely controlled desire.
passive: be driven by [desire / longing]
The way Padma looked at her across the table drove Camille wild with desire.
drive + noun phrase + wild with desire
- drive wild
- drive crazy with desire
- be driven by passion
- drive someone to desire
Grammar Patterns
drive + noun phrase + adjective (wild / crazy with desire)
Usage Note
Overlaps with sense 3 (CAUSE STATE) but is specifically about romantic or sexual attraction, not general emotional change. The adjectives 'wild' and 'crazy (with desire)' appear frequently. Common in informal and literary contexts.
Common Mistakes
❌ 'The music drove me wild at the concert.' (if meaning excited generally) — 'drive wild' can be ambiguous between general excitement and sexual attraction. Add context to clarify the meaning.
6. to provide the energy or power needed for a device, engine, or system to functio
to provide the energy or power needed for a device, engine, or system to function and keep running
The engine is driven by a combination of electricity and gasoline.
passive: be driven by [energy source]
A small electric motor drives the fan that keeps the computer cool.
active: drive + device (fan/pump/motor)
Wind turbines are used to drive generators that produce electricity for the town.
The pump is driven by a belt that connects it to the main engine.
Solar panels on the roof drive the heating system for the whole building.
drive + system / mechanism
- be driven by electricity
- be driven by steam
- drive a pump
- drive a generator
- drive the wheels
- solar-driven
Grammar Patterns
be driven by + noun phrase (energy source)
drive + noun phrase (device/machine)
Usage Note
Often used in the passive voice ('is driven by electricity'). The subject of the active verb ('Solar panels drive...') is typically an energy source or power-providing mechanism. Common in technical and engineering contexts.
Common Mistakes
7. to strike a ball powerfully in sports such as golf or baseball, sending it a lon
to strike a ball powerfully in sports such as golf or baseball, sending it a long way across the field or course
Christopher drove the golf ball over 250 yards and onto the green.
drive + golf ball + distance + destination
Meera drove the cricket ball through the gap for a boundary of four runs.
The striker drove the ball low into the bottom corner of the goal.
drive + ball + direction + destination phrase
Kenji drove the baseball over the outfielder's head for a double.
Hoa practiced driving balls from the tee at the driving range every weekend.
drive + ball + from + location (golf)
- drive the ball
- drive from the tee
- drive for a boundary
- drive into the net
Grammar Patterns
drive + ball + distance/direction phrase
Usage Note
The direct object is always the ball, often named after the sport (golf ball, cricket ball, baseball). In golf, 'drive from the tee' is the standard phrase for the first stroke on a hole.
Common Mistakes
8. in basketball or rugby, to dash forcefully while carrying the ball toward the op
in basketball or rugby, to dash forcefully while carrying the ball toward the opponent's goal and try to set up or make a score
Beatrix drove towards the basket and scored the winning layup.
drive + towards the basket (basketball)
The rugby centre drove through the defense and grounded the ball for a try.
Rodrigo drove hard along the baseline and passed to an open teammate.
drive + along the baseline (basketball)
Élise drove past her defender and finished with a soft jump shot.
With the game tied, Lan drove into the key and drew a blocking foul.
- drive towards the basket
- drive to the hoop
- drive through the defense
- drive along the baseline
- drive hard
Grammar Patterns
drive + towards/to/through + target
Usage Note
No direct object is used. The direction is expressed with a prepositional phrase such as 'towards the basket', 'to the hoop', 'through the defense', or 'along the baseline'.
Common Mistakes
9. in baseball, to hit the ball in a way that lets a teammate already on base reach
in baseball, to hit the ball in a way that lets a teammate already on base reach home plate and score, or move forward to another base
Tamar drove in the winning run with a line drive to center field.
drive in + run (baseball scoring)
Joshua drove the runner home from second base with a single to left.
drive + runner + home (baseball)
Lan drove in two runs with a double that bounced off the wall.
The shortstop drove a runner to third with a hit into the right-field gap.
Bilal drove in three runs during the first inning of the championship game.
- drive in a run
- drive in runs
- drive a runner home
- drive a runner to third
Grammar Patterns
drive in + run/runs
drive + runner + home/to + base
Usage Note
Almost always paired with the preposition 'in' (drive in a run) or a direction complement (drive a runner home, drive a runner to third). The batter is the subject and the run(s) or runner(s) form the object.
Common Mistakes
drive away
phrasal verbTo leave a place in a vehicle.
After saying goodbye, she got in her car and drove away.
The thief drove away before the police arrived.
drive down
phrasal verbTo cause something, such as a price or value, to decrease.
The new competition drove down the price of smartphones.
Bad weather drove down attendance at the outdoor concert.
drive off
phrasal verbTo leave in a vehicle; or to force someone or something to leave.
The delivery truck drove off after dropping off the package.
The farmer drove off the crows with a loud noise.
drive on
phrasal verbTo continue driving forward, especially after a stop or difficulty.
Despite the rain, they drove on until they reached the hotel.
The driver ignored the warning and drove on into the storm.
drive out
phrasal verbTo force someone or something to leave a place.
The new manager drove out the old employees with his harsh rules.
The smell of smoke drove everyone out of the building.
drive up
phrasal verbTo cause something, such as a price or cost, to increase.
The high demand drove up the price of concert tickets.
Rising fuel costs drove up the price of food.
Extremely clean or pure, often used to describe someone's moral character.
The bride's dress was as white as the driven snow.
After the confession, his reputation was no longer as pure as the driven snow.
To completely ruin or make a plan or system fail, often by finding a flaw.
The new evidence drove a coach and horses through the prosecution's case.
Her clever argument drove a coach and horses through his business proposal.
To negotiate very firmly and insist on getting the best possible deal.
Maya drove a hard bargain and got the car for $2000 less.
The union struck a hard bargain, demanding a 10% raise for all workers.
To make someone clearly understand or accept something by repeating it or emphasizing it.
The teacher drove home the importance of studying for the final exam.
His speech drove home the need for immediate action on climate change.
To cause someone so much stress or annoyance that they start drinking alcohol excessively.
The constant noise from the construction site drove him to drink.
Her boss's endless demands were enough to drive anyone to drink.
To cause two people to become less friendly or to start disliking each other.
The argument over money drove a wedge between the two brothers.
Her jealousy drove a wedge between Sara and her best friend.
To work so hard that you become extremely tired or exhausted.
Diego worked himself into the ground to meet the project deadline.
If you keep driving yourself into the ground, you'll get sick.
The main point or meaning that someone is trying to express, often indirectly.
I don't understand what you are driving at with those questions.
After a long speech, we finally saw what the manager was driving at.
drive — noun
1. a trip taken in a car, often for enjoyment or to reach a particular place
a trip taken in a car, often for enjoyment or to reach a particular place
The drive from home to the airport takes about forty minutes.
drive from [place] to [place] — travel duration
Élise and her family went for a scenic drive along the coast on Saturday.
After a five-hour drive through the winding coastal roads, Joon was relieved to finally reach the seaside hotel.
drive + through + [route description] — duration + scenery
The drive to school takes Christopher about fifteen minutes each morning.
We packed sandwiches and fruit for the drive to Grandma's house.
- scenic drive
- long drive
- short drive
- drive home
- drive to work
Usage Note
Usually singular — 'a drive' or 'the drive'. Often used with 'from [place] to [place]' to describe travel time or distance.
Common Mistakes
2. the mechanical parts that supply power to move a vehicle or machine
the mechanical parts that supply power to move a vehicle or machine
The truck has four-wheel drive to help it move on muddy roads.
four-wheel drive — common compound
Mechanics inspected the drive system of the bus before the long trip.
Electric cars use a different kind of drive compared to gas-powered vehicles.
The drive shaft connects the engine to the wheels of the car.
- four-wheel drive
- front-wheel drive
- drive shaft
- drive system
- drive train
- transmission
more specific — refers to the gear system that transfers engine power; 'drive' is a broader term for any power-delivery mechanism
Usage Note
Often appears in compound nouns: 'four-wheel drive', 'drive shaft', 'drive belt', 'drive system'. When used alone, the context usually makes the type of vehicle clear.
3. a word that appears as part of a road name, especially on streets with houses al
a word that appears as part of a road name, especially on streets with houses along them
The new supermarket is at 250 Cedar Drive, next to the park.
capitalized as part of a street address
Imani lives on Elm Drive in a small white house with blue shutters.
Every summer, families on Maple Drive hold a street party together.
The post office on Oak Drive is open from nine in the morning.
Usage Note
Always capitalized when part of a street address. Common in residential areas; less frequent in city centres, where 'Street' or 'Road' is more typical.
Common Mistakes
4. a short private road that runs from a public street to a home, business, or othe
a short private road that runs from a public street to a home, business, or other structure, used for parking vehicles
Tuan parked his scooter in the drive next to the garage door.
in the drive — parking location
Snow covered the drive, so Rodrigo had to shovel a path to the street.
A delivery truck was blocking the drive when Ayesha tried to leave.
The children drew pictures with chalk on the drive in front of the house.
Valentina washed her car in the drive on Saturday afternoon.
- in the drive
- block the drive
- the front drive
- paved drive
- gravel drive
- driveway
the full form, less common in British English but equally correct; no difference in meaning
Usage Note
Often shortened from 'driveway' — 'the drive' and 'the driveway' mean the same thing. In British English 'drive' is more common; in American English both are used freely.
Common Mistakes
5. an organized effort to achieve a practical goal in a limited time — such as recr
an organized effort to achieve a practical goal in a limited time — such as recruiting staff, raising money, or boosting sales; can be for business, government, or charitable purposes
The school started a drive to collect books for the new library.
drive + to-infinitive — purpose of the effort
The company's advertising drive helped sell more products this year.
A recruitment drive brought thirty new teachers into the school system.
The charity launched a membership drive to find more volunteers.
The government began a nationwide drive to encourage people to vote.
- recruitment drive
- advertising drive
- fundraising drive
- membership drive
- nationwide drive
- campaign
more formal and often longer in duration; 'drive' suggests a focused, intensive effort over a shorter period
- initiative
more formal; can be a single action or a series of actions, not necessarily intensive
- effort
more general; 'drive' implies organization and a clear target
Grammar Patterns
drive + for + noun
drive + to-infinitive
Usage Note
Typically followed by a noun modifier ('recruitment drive', 'advertising drive') or a 'to-infinitive' clause explaining the goal. Less formal than 'campaign', but used in both formal and informal contexts.
Common Mistakes
6. a charity event where members of the public donate food, clothes, toys, or other
a charity event where members of the public donate food, clothes, toys, or other goods to support people in need — always formed as a compound with the donated item placed before 'drive' (food drive, toy drive, clothing drive)
The church organized a clothing drive for families who lost their homes.
clothing drive — charity collection compound
Saira volunteered at the annual toy drive, wrapping gifts for children.
The community center held a winter coat drive before the cold weather.
A successful food drive collected over a thousand cans for the shelter.
Reema helped organize a book drive for the elementary school library.
- food drive
- toy drive
- clothing drive
- book drive
- blood drive
- coat drive
- collection
broader — can be for non-charitable purposes; 'drive' specifically implies an organized charity event
Grammar Patterns
often in compounds: [item] + drive
Usage Note
Almost always paired with a noun describing what is collected: 'food drive', 'toy drive', 'clothing drive', 'blood drive'. The item being collected comes before 'drive' as a compound noun.
Common Mistakes
7. a piece of equipment inside or connected to a computer that stores information s
a piece of equipment inside or connected to a computer that stores information such as documents, photos, and programs.
Christopher saved all his school projects onto an external hard drive before the laptop broke.
collocation: external hard drive
Hao's new laptop has a solid-state drive that lets the computer start in seconds.
The files were copied from the computer to a portable flash drive for safekeeping.
passive: were copied from [storage device] to [storage device]
After the crash, the technician managed to recover every document from the damaged internal drive.
Anjali keeps her music collection on a portable drive so she can listen at work.
- external drive
- internal drive
- hard drive
- flash drive
- portable drive
- back up to a drive
- copy to a drive
- hard drive
most common specific type; often used loosely as a general term for any computer storage device
- disk
older term still used for physical storage media; less common for modern SSDs
Usage Note
Often combined with a type word: hard drive, flash drive, solid-state drive.
8. the strong energy and determination that makes a person work hard to achieve the
the strong energy and determination that makes a person work hard to achieve their goals.
Sade has an incredible drive to succeed — she trains before sunrise every day.
collocation: drive to succeed / drive to [verb]
Élise's inner drive to become a nurse kept her studying late every night.
The whole team showed real drive, coming back from five goals down to win.
Without her natural drive, Tanvi would never have built a business from nothing.
A good teacher can spark a student's drive to learn by making lessons interesting.
pattern: possessive + drive + to-infinitive (someone's drive to [verb])
- inner drive
- natural drive
- great drive
- drive to succeed
- drive to win
- have the drive
- motivation
similar meaning but can be external; drive is more internal and deeply rooted
- ambition
focuses on the desire for success or achievement; drive emphasises the energy behind that desire
- determination
highlights the quality of not giving up; drive adds a sense of active energy
- laziness
the lack of willingness to make an effort
Usage Note
Describes a lasting personal quality rather than a temporary feeling. Frequently followed by a to-infinitive (drive to succeed, drive to win).
Common Mistakes
9. a ball that is hit or kicked with great power in golf, baseball, or football so
a ball that is hit or kicked with great power in golf, baseball, or football so that it travels a very long way.
Sivan's drive from the tee landed on the fairway, just past the bunker.
golf context: drive from the tee
Lara hit a long drive to centre field, and the crowd stood up to cheer.
Reuben's powerful drive from the tee flew over the lake and stopped near the green.
With a clean drive from the halfway line, the midfielder sent the ball into the goal.
football context: drive from [location]
- long drive
- powerful drive
- clean drive
- drive from the tee
- hit a drive
Usage Note
Most common in golf (the first shot from the tee with a driver), but also used in baseball and football for any powerful long-range hit or kick.
10. a quick, direct run by a player carrying the ball toward the scoring area in bas
a quick, direct run by a player carrying the ball toward the scoring area in basketball or rugby.
Indra made a quick drive to the basket and scored an easy layup.
basketball: make a drive to the basket
Rania's drive through the defence created space for her teammate to score the try.
The guard faked a pass and then started a powerful drive straight towards the hoop.
Hamza's drive down the left wing drew two defenders, freeing up a teammate in the centre.
rugby/football: drive down the wing
- make a drive
- quick drive
- powerful drive
- drive to the basket
- drive down the wing
Usage Note
Primarily used in basketball and rugby. Distinguish from sense 9 (POWERFUL HIT): this sense describes running with the ball, not hitting or kicking it.
11. a strong natural need or urge that comes from the body or instincts, such as the
a strong natural need or urge that comes from the body or instincts, such as the need for food, water, or sex.
Hunger is a basic drive that every living creature experiences from birth.
collocation: basic drive (used for biological urges)
After two days without food, the hiker felt a powerful drive to find water.
Walking for hours under the hot sun, Léa felt a strong drive to find water.
Scientists have studied how the brain controls the drive for food and the need for sleep.
pattern: the drive for [noun]
Many animals have a strong drive to protect their young from danger.
- basic drive
- biological drive
- sexual drive
- the drive for food
- the drive for survival
- overwhelming drive
Usage Note
Most common in formal or academic writing about psychology and biology. When used without a qualifier, often refers to the sex drive. The preposition 'for' is used to specify what the drive is directed toward (drive for food, drive for survival).
Common Mistakes
Word family
Synonym discussion
Sense: verb/1
Drive, operate, steer, ride, and pilot all relate to controlling a vehicle, but they differ in scope and perspective. Drive is the everyday word for controlling a car, truck, or bus — it covers steering, accelerating, braking, and navigating. Operate is more formal and technical; you operate heavy machinery, a forklift, or a train, but you do not 'operate' your car to the store. Steer focuses narrowly on controlling the direction — you steer a boat, a bicycle, or a car around a corner, but steering is only one part of driving. Ride is the passenger's perspective: you ride a bus, a train, or in someone else's car, but you do not ride a vehicle you control (except bicycles and motorcycles). Pilot is used for aircraft and ships; it suggests trained, skilled control of a complex vessel. For everyday car travel, drive is the correct and natural choice.
Common collocations
Etymology
Drive comes from Old English drīfan, meaning 'to push forward, urge on, or force movement'. It traces back through Proto-Germanic *drībaną to the Indo-European root *dʰreibʰ- ('to drive, push'). The core idea of forceful forward motion carried the word through centuries: driving cattle, driving a nail, driving the wind. When automobiles appeared in the late 1800s, drive naturally extended to controlling a vehicle. The noun sense of 'energy and determination' (internal drive) developed in the 1700s, and the computer disk drive emerged in the 1950s. Sports senses — hitting a ball hard or charging toward a goal — date from the 1800s. The meaning of an organised effort (fundraising drive, recruitment drive) appeared in the early 1900s.