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to drive

to drive

458 1.0
To push something into another thing with force
  • verb
  • /draɪv/
translation icon : impulsar
  • Some theorists maintain that mission statements drive strategic planning, while others claim they merely reflect institutional reality.
  • drive a stake

It has a piston inside that drives this back and forth.

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Examples

  • The manager finally had to get the bouncer to drive people out at closing.

    Fiction book (1990)
  • But failure can or fear cannot drive the kind of creative process.

  • I would say those are the things that are driving all of that capacity.

  • Oh, yes, that would drive me crazy, too.

  • We could drive it out.

  • Not really, but we just got to drive it through the institution.

  • Well, as long as I'm here, why don't we drive out to the lake for lunch?

  • The Times Square show ran until the 1950s, when porn shops drove out such wholesome fare.

    Academic text (2011)
  • I mean, the guy got driven out of town, and the only place he could find a job as a chef was at a steakhouse in Nebraska.

  • I took the shortcut to drive home faster after work yesterday.

Synonyms

to force
vsto drive
376 1.9

To push something so it moves or opens

highlights effortful strength rather than controlled directed motion
to propel
vsto drive
57 4.0

To push something so it moves forward

is broader, applies to moving with force in any direction
to drive in
vsto drive
7 4.0

To push a nail, screw, or bolt into a surface using a tool

is the general idea of moving with strength, not only into surfaces
to propulse
vsto drive
8.3

To push someone or something forward into a new situation

is more general, meaning move something with strength not only forward

Antonyms

1.0

To make something end and not continue

86 4.6

Hold a person or thing so it cannot move freely

Idioms

158 3.2

Make someone very annoyed or upset

To cause people to argue or become divided on purpose

Leave a place happily at the end of a story or event

To find big holes in a law or plan and use them

To end something completely so it cannot continue

9.9

To drive in a very dangerous way that puts other people at risk

6.0

To make a car go very fast and in a dangerous way

Phrasal Verbs

271 3.9

Make someone very annoyed or upset

87 4.0

Force someone or something to leave using threats

71 3.4

To force a person, animal, or feeling to go away

70 3.8

Force someone or something to leave a place

70 3.1

To go to a place in a vehicle and stop near it

To drive a car without a fixed destination to relax

39 3.9

To make prices rise to a higher level, often quickly

To take someone in a vehicle to show them interesting places

30 2.5

To arrive at a place by car

27 4.0

To make a point very clear by saying it strongly

19 4.1

Force someone or something to move away from danger

to drive in
  • Jargon
12 4.9

In baseball, to hit the ball so a player scores

to drive at
  • Informal
9 6.5

Try to suggest something without saying it clearly when speaking or writing

To take a car for a short ride to check how it feels and works

7 4.0

To push a nail, screw, or bolt into a surface using a tool

To try a product or service for a short time to see if you like it

To reduce expenses in a company or organization

2 2.5

To operate a large truck as a job

To remove wasted effort and slow processes from a company or system

To help a project make progress by leading and taking action

to let drive
  • Archaic
8.2

To shoot something from a gun or bow

Compounds

hard drive
  • Specialized
106 2.8

A device inside a computer that stores files and lets you open them

39 3.7

Place where people stay in their cars to eat or watch a movie

37 2.5

A car trip that takes a long time

sex drive
  • NSFW
25 4.2

A natural desire to have sex

23 2.5

A place, like a restaurant or bank, where you buy things without leaving your car

22 2.7

A short ride in a car to see how it feels and works

19 5.9

A gun attack from a moving car that hits people outside

16 7.9

A quick, friendly praise given to someone in passing

four-wheel drive
  • Specialized
16 3.4

A system that powers all four wheels for better grip on rough or slippery ground

12 4.2

A hard hit in baseball that flies straight and low

disk drive
  • Specialized
6 3.5

A device in a computer that holds and spins a disk to read or write data

4 6.3

A trip moving a large group of cows, often on horseback, over long distances

CD-ROM drive
  • Archaic
2 3.7

A device in or connected to a computer that reads data from CDs

A device you connect to a computer by cable to save files

tape drive
  • Specialized
1 5.2

A machine that reads and writes data on magnetic tape to save copies of files

internal drive
  • Specialized
1 4.2

A device inside a computer that stores files, like a hard drive or solid-state drive

1 2.7

A part of a computer or music player that reads CDs

1 2.8

A regular car trip to and from work each day

drive-by killing
  • Offensive
1 8.5

An act of shooting someone to death from a moving car

A planned event to collect money for a cause

1 7.4

A hard, straight hit into the outfield that lets the batter reach second base

1 6.6

A base hit made by hitting the ball hard so the batter reaches first base

drive line
  • Specialized
7.1

Parts that send power from the engine to the wheels that move the car

drive line system
  • Specialized
6.0

A vehicle system that sends engine power to the driving wheels

drive-by event
  • Neologism
4.6

A gathering where people stay in their cars and take part briefly

drive-by media
  • Literature
9.1

News outlets that give quick, shallow reports and often miss important facts

automatic drive
  • Specialized
3.2

A car system that changes gears by itself based on speed

automatic drive
  • Specialized
4.1

A mode in which a car moves, steers, and brakes using sensors and software

A hard straight shot hit with the racket across the body in tennis

fluid drive
  • Archaic
7.8

A device that uses fluid to connect an engine to the drive shaft smoothly

A hard straight shot hit from the side you hold the racket, used in tennis or badminton

5.3

A hard low hit in baseball that lets the batter reach third base

fusee drive
  • Archaic
9.9

A cone-shaped part in old clocks that keeps spring power steady as it unwinds

4.6

A car you rent and drive yourself

8.9

A car you rent and drive yourself for a short time

whist drive
  • Archaic
9.8

A social event where people play whist in rounds, often to raise money

7.5

A hard disk with a sealed case used in older computers to store data

How Forceful

to hurl
53 3.6
to thrust
66 3.9
to drive
458 1.0
push
138 1.0
to nudge
33 3.8

Surface Forms

drive infinitive
driving present participle
drives third person singular
drove past
driven past participle

Etymology

Drive comes from Old English drīfan 'to push or force', so when you drive a nail you are pushing it in with power.