to drive
Third Person
drives
Present Participle
driving
Past Tense
drove
Past Participle
driven
1
to control the movement and the speed of a car, bus, truck, etc. when it is moving
- You should drive with both hands on the steering wheel.
- I usually drive to school, but today I'm taking the bus.
- I like to drive along scenic routes to enjoy the countryside.
- After a long day at work, he prefers to drive home in silence.
- Please be careful and drive within the speed limit.
2
to force something into or through another object using physical effort or a tool
transitive
- He used the heavy machinery to drive the pile into the ground during construction.
- She used a hammer to drive the nail into the wooden board.
- The worker drove the stake into the soil to secure the tent.
- They drove the metal rod into the concrete to anchor the framework.
- The carpenter drove the peg into the joint to hold it firmly.
3
to make someone act in a specified way, particularly one that is considered inappropriate or unacceptable
- Greed can drive individuals to make unethical decisions in pursuit of wealth.
- The fear of failure drove her to push herself beyond her limits.
- Competition among team members drove them to excel in their performance.
- The desire for revenge can drive individuals to commit hurtful acts.
- The need to provide for his family drove him to take on multiple jobs.
4
to move, propel, or throw with great force
transitive
- The wind drove rain against the windowpane.
- The strong wind drove the leaves across the street.
- Snowflakes were driven horizontally by the strong blizzard.
- The turbulent river currents drove the small boat dangerously close to the waterfall.
5
to push someone to try or work extremely hard to reach a goal
transitive
- He's been driving himself too hard lately, and it's affecting his health.
- The exploitative factory owner had no regard for labor laws, using every means to drive workers beyond their limits.
- The unscrupulous employer implemented strategies to drive employees mercilessly.
- In some sweatshops, the goal is to drive workers relentlessly.
- The authoritarian manager's approach was to drive employees through fear tactics.
6
to compel a group of animals or people to move in a certain direction
transitive
- The firefighters worked tirelessly to drive the residents out of the burning building.
- The police officers drove the protesters away from the restricted area.
- The shepherd used his staff to drive the flock toward the grazing area.
- They drove the horses into the corral before the storm arrived.
- The sheepdog helped the farmer drive the sheep into the pen.
7
to generate the power necessary to make a machine work
transitive
- Hydroelectric dams drive the turbines to generate energy.
- The waterwheel is used to drive the mill's machinery.
- Wind turbines are designed to drive electricity generators.
- Solar panels can drive the lights in the house.
- The motor drives the conveyor belt in the factory.
8
(primarily in ball games) to kick or hit the ball with such force that sends it flying forward
transitive
- With a strong kick, he drove the ball past the goalkeeper and into the net.
- His baseball swing allowed him to drive the ball into the outfield.
- The soccer player managed to drive the ball into the top corner of the goal.
- She used her powerful swing to drive the ball over the net in tennis.
- The golfer drove the ball straight down the fairway with precision.
9
to use force in order to create an opening through something
transitive
- The construction crew drove a path through the dense forest.
- To reach the other side, they had to drive a tunnel through the mountains.
- Engineers decided to drive a passage through the bedrock for the new subway line.
- Workers used heavy machinery to drive a trench through the frozen ground.
- The team worked tirelessly to drive a channel through the ice for the research vessel.
10
(in sports) to advance with the ball toward the goal, aiming to score points or create opportunities for the team
- In basketball, the point guard's ability to drive through the defense is crucial for setting up scoring plays.
- In the final minutes of the game, he used his speed to drive past the defenders and score a crucial basket.
- During the basketball game, the point guard led a fast break, skillfully dribbling to drive towards the basket for a layup.
- As the rugby team gained possession, they quickly formed a coordinated attack to drive towards the try line.