drive
drive
Pronunciation
The IPA phonetic spelling for "drive" is /draɪv/.
draɪv: /dr/, /aɪ/, /v/
Word Form Variations
Verb: drive, drives, driving, drove, driven
Noun: drive, drives
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Verb
To operate and steer a vehicle, especially an automobile.
Example: She learned to drive a manual car last year.
Synonyms: operate, pilot, steer, handle
Antonyms: ride (as a passenger), be driven
To force or urge something or someone onward; to propel.
Example: The strong winds drove the rain against the windows.
Synonyms: propel, push, impel, force, urge, motivate
Antonyms: hold back, restrain, deter
To cause someone or something to reach a particular state or condition.
Example: The constant criticism began to drive him crazy.
Synonyms: make, cause, compel, send
Antonyms: calm, soothe, stabilize
To hit or propel a ball (in sports) with force.
Example: He drove the golf ball straight down the fairway.
Synonyms: hit, strike, propel, smite
Antonyms: miss, tap (lightly)
Noun
A journey or excursion in a vehicle.
Example: We went for a long drive through the countryside.
Synonyms: journey, trip, excursion, ride, spin
Antonyms: walk, stroll
A strong innate or acquired urge or desire; an instinct.
Example: She has an incredible drive to succeed.
Synonyms: ambition, motivation, determination, initiative, urge, impulse
Antonyms: apathy, lethargy, indifference, disinterest
A roadway, especially a private one leading to a house or property.
Example: They parked their car in the drive.
Synonyms: driveway, road, lane, path
Antonyms: (none direct, as it refers to a specific type of road)
In sports, a powerful hit or stroke of a ball.
Example: The tennis player hit a powerful forehand drive.
Synonyms: shot, hit, stroke, smash
Antonyms: lob, drop shot
Examples of Use
Books:
"It was a dark and stormy night, and the wind seemed to drive the rain against the windowpanes with an insistent fury." (From a fictional novel)
"The author explored the psychological drive behind human ambition and its impact on societal progress." (From a non-fiction book)
Newspapers:
"The central bank announced a new drive to curb inflation, implementing stricter monetary policies." (The Wall Street Journal)
"Police launched a widespread drive to apprehend the suspects involved in the recent cyber attack." (The Guardian)
Online Publications:
"Tech companies continue to drive innovation in artificial intelligence, releasing new applications regularly." (Wired.com)
"Environmental activists initiated a social media drive to raise awareness about plastic pollution in oceans." (EcoWatch.com)
Various Entertainment Mediums and Platforms:
Film: (Dialogue from a crime thriller) "We need to drive north for at least three hours before we're out of their jurisdiction."
Television Series: (From a drama series, referring to character motivation) "Her intense drive to avenge her family fueled her every decision."
Music: (Lyrics from a popular song) "Oh, the open road, just me and you, a long drive beneath the moon."
Video Games: (On-screen text in a racing game) "To win the championship, you must drive with precision and speed."
Podcasts: (From a business podcast) "What truly drives successful entrepreneurs is often an insatiable curiosity and willingness to take risks."
General Public Discourse:
"I need to drive to the grocery store after work to pick up some milk." (Everyday conversation)
"The team has a strong drive to win this season's championship." (Sports fan discussion)
"Let's go for a Sunday drive and see some new scenery." (Leisure planning)
10 Quotes Using Drive
"Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that." (Martin Luther King, Jr.)
"Any man who can drive safely while kissing a pretty girl is simply not giving the kiss the attention it deserves." (Albert Einstein)
"It doesn't matter where you come from, what you have or don't have... But all you need to have is faith in God, an undying passion for what you do... and a relentless drive and the will to do whatever it takes to be successful." (Stephen Curry)
"We herd sheep, we drive cattle, we lead people. Lead me, follow me, or get out of my way." (George S. Patton)
"A single sunbeam is enough to drive away many shadows." (Francis of Assisi)
"You can do anything as long as you have the passion, the drive, the focus, and the support." (Sabrina Bryan)
"We drive into the future using only our rearview mirror." (Marshall McLuhan)
"Rational thoughts never drive people's creativity the way emotions do." (Neil deGrasse Tyson)
"Concern should drive us into action and not into a depression." (Pythagoras)
"The man who can drive himself further once the effort gets painful is the man who will win." (Roger Bannister)
Etymology
Its roots are in Old English, where it was "drīfan" (pronounced roughly "dree-fan"). This verb meant something like "to compel or urge to move," "to impel in a certain direction," or even "to hunt" or "to pursue." Imagine someone pushing cattle forward, or chasing a deer – that's the kind of forceful movement it implied. It was also used for things like making nails go into wood, or making ships move through water.
This Old English "drīfan" came from an even older language called Proto-Germanic, which is the ancestor of many modern languages like English, German, and Dutch. In Proto-Germanic, the word was something like "dreibaną", with a similar core meaning of "to drive" or "to push."
Over time, as English evolved, the meaning of "drive" expanded. While it kept its original sense of forcing something to move, it also started to mean:
"To convey someone in a vehicle" (around the 1660s), which is how we primarily use it for cars today.
"An act of driving" or "a trip in a vehicle" (as a noun, starting in the late 1600s).
"A strong inner urge or motivation" (around the early 1900s), which connects to the idea of being "driven" by something.
So, from a simple beginning of pushing or urging, "drive" grew to encompass everything from operating a car to having a strong personal ambition!
Phrases + Idioms Containing Drive
Drive a hard bargain: To negotiate forcefully and demand a lot.
Drive someone crazy/mad/nuts: To annoy or frustrate someone intensely.
Drive home a point: To emphasize an idea or argument very clearly and effectively.
Drive a wedge between (people): To cause disagreement or separation between people.
Drive someone to distraction: To annoy someone so much that they cannot think clearly or concentrate.
Drive up the wall: (Similar to "drive someone crazy") To irritate or exasperate someone greatly.
Drive on: To continue moving forward, often used as an encouragement.
Drive-through: A service (like a restaurant or bank) where you are served in your car.
Backseat driver: A passenger who constantly gives unwanted advice on how to drive.
To take a drive: To go for a journey in a vehicle.
To drive a nail: To hammer a nail into something.
To drive a business: To manage and operate a business.
Power drive: A strong, forceful shot or stroke in sports.
To drive a campaign: To organize and promote a series of activities to achieve a goal.
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of drive from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
