driver

American  

[drahy-ver] / ˈdraɪ vər /

noun

1. a person or thing that drives.

2. a person who drives a vehicle; coachman, chauffeur, etc.

3. a person who drives an animal or animals, as a drover or cowboy.

4. Also called number one wood.  Golf.  a club with a wooden head whose face has almost no slope, for hitting long, low drives from the tee.

5. Machinery.

   1. a part that transmits force or motion.

   2. the member of a pair of connected pulleys, gears, etc., that is nearer to the power source.

6. Computers.  software or hardware that controls the interface between a computer and a peripheral device.

7. Railroads.  driving wheel.

8. British.  a locomotive engineer.

9. Audio.

   1. the part of a loudspeaker that transforms the electrical signal into sound.

   2. the entire loudspeaker.

10. Nautical.

    1. a jib-headed spanker sail.

    2. a designation given to one of the masts abaft the mizzen on a sailing vessel having more than three masts, either the fifth or sixth from forward.

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driver British  

/ ˈdraɪvə /

noun

1. a person who drives a vehicle

2. in a position of control

3. a person who drives animals

4. a mechanical component that exerts a force on another to produce motion

5. golf a club, a No. 1 wood, with a large head and deep face for tee shots

6. electronics a circuit whose output provides the input of another circuit

7. computing a computer program that controls a device

8. something that creates and fuels activity, or gives force or impetus

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driver Idioms  

1. see backseat driver; in the driver's seat.

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Other Word Forms

• driverless adjective
• nondriver noun

Etymology

Origin of driver

First recorded in 1350–1400, driver is from the Middle English word drivere. See drive, -er ¹

Example Sentences

Amazon has already made strides to boost its Amazon Web Services business this year, and AWS is largely seen as the stock’s biggest growth driver.

From MarketWatch

The car was so fast for so much of the season that the stiffest competition its drivers faced was from each other.

From The Wall Street Journal

Solo EV drivers using California carpool lanes will face ticketing beginning Monday as the perk disappears.

From Los Angeles Times

The report also referred to multiple incidents against taxi drivers, he said, when there was one incident.

From BBC

"Our thoughts are also with the driver of the vehicle involved in the collision."

From BBC

Related Words

• chauffeur
• jockey
• motorist
• operator
• trainer