Drive
/draɪv/
Definitions
6 meaningsTo operate a vehicle.
/draɪv/
To operate and control the direction and speed of a motor vehicle.
I will drive to the store later.
💡 Simply: Imagine you're the captain of a car! Driving is like steering the car and making it go where you want.
👶 For kids: To make a car or other vehicle go.
More Examples
Can you drive me to the airport?
He drives a red sports car.
How It's Used
"She learned to drive a car when she was sixteen."
To cause a vehicle to move in a particular direction or at a particular speed.
/draɪv/
To control the movement of a vehicle.
She drove her new truck to work every day.
💡 Simply: It's like taking the wheel! It's when you're in charge of the car, moving it down the road.
👶 For kids: Making a car go somewhere.
More Examples
The bus driver drove the school children to the park.
We drove across the country on our vacation.
How It's Used
"He drove the car down the highway."
To motivate or compel someone or something to a particular action.
/draɪv/
To urge or compel someone or something to take a certain action.
His passion drove him to study for hours.
💡 Simply: It's like giving someone a push! You're making them want to do something, like when you're driven to be the best at a game or a school project.
👶 For kids: Making someone or something do something.
More Examples
The fear of failure drove him to work harder.
The coach drove his team to victory.
How It's Used
"The manager drove the team to meet the deadline."
"Ambition drove him to succeed."
A journey or trip in a vehicle.
/draɪv/
Let's go for a drive to the beach.
💡 Simply: It's like going on a car adventure! This is just the trip itself.
👶 For kids: A trip in a car.
More Examples
The drive to work takes about thirty minutes.
They enjoyed a scenic drive through the mountains.
How It's Used
"We went for a long drive in the countryside."
An inherent urge or impulse, especially one that motivates action.
/draɪv/
An urge or impulse to do something.
Her drive for perfection made her a great artist.
💡 Simply: It's like a strong desire inside of you, making you want to achieve something. It's what makes you want to work hard at what you love.
👶 For kids: A feeling that makes you want to do something.
More Examples
The competitive drive among the athletes was evident.
He had the drive to overcome any obstacle.
How It's Used
"His drive to succeed was very strong."
A strong stroke or hit of a ball, as in golf or tennis.
/draɪv/
A forceful strike of a ball in sports.
The golfer made a long drive down the fairway.
💡 Simply: Think of a really powerful hit in a game! It's like smashing the ball with all your might.
👶 For kids: Hitting a ball really hard in a game.
More Examples
She hit a winning drive in the tennis match.
The baseball player's drive sent the ball over the fence.
How It's Used
"He hit a powerful drive off the tee."
Synonyms
Idioms & expressions
drive someone crazy
To irritate or annoy someone intensely.
"The noise from the construction site is driving me crazy."
drive a hard bargain
To be a tough negotiator; to insist on favorable terms in a deal.
"The car salesman was known to drive a hard bargain, so be prepared to negotiate."
the drive to succeed
A strong desire and motivation to achieve success.
"His unrelenting drive to succeed was evident in his long hours of work."
From Old English drīfan, from Proto-Germanic *drībaną, from Proto-Indo-European *dʰreybʰ- ('to drive, push').
The word 'drive' has been used since Old English, initially referring to pushing or urging animals. Its usage evolved to include controlling vehicles in the modern era.
Memory tip
Think of guiding a car down a road.