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 chisel. 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, droving 

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 called: drove 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

We drove through neighbourhoods notorious for their levels of violent crime.

From BBC

We stuffed my belongings into my tiny Fiat 500 and drove cross-country.

From Los Angeles Times

Erin’s murder drove the A-plot, often weaving down the road through an obstacle course of misdirects and MacGuffins as the mystery of her life informed her death.

From Salon

President Xi drove the length of the parade route to inspect his troops before each battle unit took turns to goose-step past their leader.

From BBC

As Matteoli drove the curves of Last Chance Grade last week, construction workers appeared out of the thick morning fog like neon-vested ghosts.

From Los Angeles Times