from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Drive \Drive\ (dr[imac]v), v. t. [imp. {Drove} (dr[=o]v),
formerly {Drave} (dr[=a]v); p. p. {Driven} (dr[i^]v'n); p.
pr. & vb. n. {Driving}.] [AS. dr[imac]fan; akin to OS.
dr[imac]ban, D. drijven, OHG. tr[imac]ban, G. treiben, Icel.
dr[imac]fa, Goth. dreiban. Cf. {Drift}, {Drove}.]
1. To impel or urge onward by force in a direction away from
one, or along before one; to push forward; to compel to
move on; to communicate motion to; as, to drive cattle; to
drive a nail; smoke drives persons from a room.
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A storm came on and drove them into Pylos. --Jowett
(Thucyd. ).
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Shield pressed on shield, and man drove man along.
--Pope.
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Go drive the deer and drag the finny prey. --Pope.
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2. To urge on and direct the motions of, as the beasts which
draw a vehicle, or the vehicle borne by them; hence, also,
to take in a carriage; to convey in a vehicle drawn by
beasts; as, to drive a pair of horses or a stage; to drive
a person to his own door.
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How . . . proud he was to drive such a brother!
--Thackeray.
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3. To urge, impel, or hurry forward; to force; to constrain;
to urge, press, or bring to a point or state; as, to drive
a person by necessity, by persuasion, by force of
circumstances, by argument, and the like. " Enough to
drive one mad." --Tennyson.
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He, driven to dismount, threatened, if I did not do
the like, to do as much for my horse as fortune had
done for his. --Sir P.
Sidney.
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4. To carry or; to keep in motion; to conduct; to prosecute.
[Now used only colloquially.] --Bacon.
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The trade of life can not be driven without
partners. --Collier.
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5. To clear, by forcing away what is contained.
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To drive the country, force the swains away.
--Dryden.
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6. (Mining) To dig Horizontally; to cut a horizontal gallery
or tunnel. --Tomlinson.
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7. To pass away; -- said of time. [Obs.] --Chaucer.
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8. Specif., in various games, as tennis, baseball, etc., to
propel (the ball) swiftly by a direct stroke or forcible
throw.
[Webster 1913 Suppl.]
9. to operate (a vehicle) while it is on motion, by
manipulating the controls, such as the steering,
propulsion, and braking mechanisms.
[PJC]