verb

drive

dryv

verb

To operate and steer a motor vehicle.

"She drove to work every day."

"He learned to drive when he was seventeen."

To motivate, push, or compel someone or something toward an outcome.

"Ambition drove her to work harder than anyone else."

noun

A journey made in a vehicle.

"They went for a long drive along the coast."

Strong motivation or determination to achieve something.

"He has the drive to succeed in business."

A device used to store and retrieve computer data.

"She backed up her files onto an external drive."

How to Use Drive

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishTo steer a vehicle, to push someone toward a goal, or (as a noun) either a car trip, personal ambition, or a computer storage device.

Common mistake

Don't confuse "drive" (ambition) with "driven" (an adjective meaning highly motivated) — related but used differently in a sentence.

Common pairings

drive a car have the drive hard drive go for a drive

Word Forms

drove past tense, drave past tense, driv past tense, driven past tense, druv past tense, drive plural, drove plural, driv plural, drave plural, drives plural, drives singular, drive singular, drove singular, driv singular, drave singular, drivest singular, drovest singular, driveth singular, dravest singular

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Fill the Gap

Can you complete this real example?

He learned to _____ when he was seventeen.

Etymology

From Old English drifan, "to force onward or move," an ancient Germanic verb.

Rhymes for drive

Ive five give dive live hive jive vive olive alive waive naive

See all rhymes for drive →