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to drive

to drive

113 1.0
To push something into another thing with force
  • verb
  • /draɪv/
: 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
161 1.9

To push something so it moves or opens

highlights effortful strength rather than controlled directed motion
to propel
vsto drive
88 4.0

To push something so it moves forward

is broader, applies to moving with force in any direction
to drive in
vsto drive
5 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
1 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

233 4.6

Hold a person or thing so it cannot move freely

Idioms

46 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

1 6.0

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

To end something completely so it cannot continue

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

9.9

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

Phrasal Verbs

220 3.9

Make someone very annoyed or upset

214 2.3

To drive a car without a fixed destination to relax

144 3.1

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

124 3.8

Force someone or something to leave a place

75 3.4

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

67 2.5

To operate a large truck as a job

54 2.5

To arrive at a place by car

52 3.9

To make prices rise to a higher level, often quickly

35 4.0

Force someone or something to leave using threats

25 4.0

To make a point very clear by saying it strongly

21 4.1

Force someone or something to move away from danger

17 3.1

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

to drive in
  • Jargon
13 4.9

In baseball, to hit the ball so a player scores

To take someone in a vehicle to show them interesting places

to drive at
  • Informal
10 6.5

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

5 4.0

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

To reduce expenses in a company or organization

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

to let drive
  • Archaic
1 8.2

To shoot something from a gun or bow

To help a project make progress by leading and taking action

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

Compounds

hard drive
  • Specialized
146 2.8

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

48 2.5

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

47 3.7

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

44 2.5

A car trip that takes a long time

33 2.7

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

sex drive
  • NSFW
27 4.2

A natural desire to have sex

four-wheel drive
  • Specialized
21 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

11 5.9

A gun attack from a moving car that hits people outside

disk drive
  • Specialized
9 3.5

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

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

6 6.3

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

4 2.7

A part of a computer or music player that reads CDs

CD-ROM drive
  • Archaic
2 3.7

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

internal drive
  • Specialized
2 4.2

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

tape drive
  • Specialized
1 5.2

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

A planned event to collect money for a cause

drive line
  • Specialized
1 7.1

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

1 2.8

A regular car trip to and from work each day

drive-by media
  • Literature
1 9.1

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

1 7.4

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

automatic drive
  • Specialized
1 3.2

A car system that changes gears by itself based on speed

1 6.6

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

whist drive
  • Archaic
1 9.8

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

drive-by killing
  • Offensive
1 8.5

An act of shooting someone to death from a moving car

fluid drive
  • Archaic
1 7.8

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

1 7.5

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

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

automatic drive
  • Specialized
1 4.1

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

1 4.6

A car you rent and drive yourself

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

1 5.3

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

1 8.9

A car you rent and drive yourself for a short time

1 7.9

A quick, friendly praise given to someone in passing

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

fusee drive
  • Archaic
9.9

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

How Forceful

to hurl
55 3.6
to thrust
101 3.9
to drive
113 1.0
push
182 1.0
to nudge
36 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.