drove

¹

[ drohv ]

verb

1. simple past tense of drive.

drove

²

[ drohv ]

noun

1. a number of oxen, sheep, or swine driven in a group; herd; flock.
2. Usually droves. a large crowd of human beings, especially in motion:

   They came to Yankee Stadium in droves.

3. Also called drove chis·el. Masonry. a chisel, from 2 to 4 inches (5 to 10 centimeters) broad at the edge, for dressing stones to an approximately true surface.

verb (used with or without object)

, droved, drov·ing.

1. to drive or deal in (cattle) as a drover; herd.
2. Masonry. to work or smooth (stone) as with a drove.

drove

¹

/ drəʊv /

noun

1. a herd of livestock being driven together
2. often plural a moving crowd of people
3. a narrow irrigation channel
4. Also calleddrove chisel a chisel with a broad edge used for dressing stone

verb

1. 1. tr to drive (a group of livestock), usually for a considerable distance
   2. intr to be employed as a drover
2. to work (a stone surface) with a drove

drove

²

/ drəʊv /

verb

1. the past tense of drive

Word History and Origins

Origin of drove¹

First recorded before 950; Middle English; Old English drāf “that which is driven,” i.e., “herd, flock”; akin to drive

Word History and Origins

Origin of drove¹

Old English drāf herd; related to Middle Low German drēfwech cattle pasture; see drive , drift

Synonym Study

See flock ¹.

Example Sentences

Snook, from Hartcliffe, Bristol, drove down Ilminster Avenue and when they saw Mason and Max in the street they wrongly believed they had spotted those responsible for the attack.

From BBC

Snook claimed he "didn't know" the teenagers were going to kill the boys when he drove them to the area in his Audi Q2.

From BBC

Scouts came to Sheldon’s games to catch a glimpse of Herbert’s cut fastball that “drove guys nuts,” former Sheldon baseball coach Stan Manley said.

From Los Angeles Times

On Sept. 24, 2016, Felix and Acosta drove to the Yosts’ Fullerton home, where they planned to take the 17-year-old and keep her away from her family until she turned 18.

From Los Angeles Times

The Sandy Hook lawsuit drove Jones to bankruptcy, and a Houston judge ruled that Infowars and other assets owned by Jones could be auctioned off to pay off his creditors.

From Salon