drove

[ drohv ]

/ droʊv /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR drove ON THESAURUS.COM

verb

simple past tense of drive.

Nearby words

drought, droughty, drouk, droukit, drouthy, drove, drover, drown, drown one's sorrows, drown out, drowned valley

Definition for droves (2 of 2)

drove

[ drohv ]

/ droʊv /

noun

a number of oxen, sheep, or swine driven in a group; herd; flock.

Usually droves. a large crowd of human beings, especially in motion: They came to Yankee Stadium in droves.

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

verb (used with or without object), droved, drov·ing.

to drive or deal in (cattle) as a drover; herd.

Masonry. to work or smooth (stone) as with a drove.

Origin of drove

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

SYNONYMS FOR drove

1 See flock¹.

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR drove ON THESAURUS.COM

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for droves

The result is that drone operators are leaving the Air Force in droves.
Exclusive: U.S. Drone Fleet at ‘Breaking Point,’ Air Force Says|Dave Majumdar|January 5, 2015|DAILY BEAST
British aristocrats married American heiresses in droves in the early 1900s.
The Real-Life ‘Downton’ Millionairesses Who Changed Britain|Tim Teeman|December 31, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Despite the long-existing travel ban, Americans have already been visiting Cuba by the droves.
Up To Speed: The Cuba Embargo|Nina Strochlic|December 18, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Shoppers from Mainland China arrived in droves, and gained front row seats to civil disobedience in action.
Chinese Tourists Are Taking Hong Kong Protest Selfies|Brendon Hong|October 23, 2014|DAILY BEAST

He would need professional assistance, which came in droves.
Victor Mooney’s Epic Adventure for His Dead Brother|Justin Jones|October 19, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Droves of cattle passed over the bridges, which were being raised and swung to let the ships pass.
Holland, v. 1 (of 2)|Edmondo de Amicis
Hardly daring to expect to be favorably received, he sent in advance a large number of cattle in three droves as a gift to Esau.
Rembrandt|Estelle M. Hurll
The provisions and ammunition, transported on packhorses, and the beeves in droves, arrived soon after.
Chronicles of Border Warfare|Alexander Scott Withers
For that matter, there were droves of 'em pounding up and down the halls all night.
Americans All|Various
Men are herded in droves and delivered by counties in almost solid blocks by professional traders of political influence.
The Behavior of Crowds|Everett Dean Martin

British Dictionary definitions for droves (1 of 2)

drove

/ (drəʊv) /

verb

the past tense of drive

British Dictionary definitions for droves (2 of 2)

drove

/ (drəʊv) /

noun

a herd of livestock being driven together

(often plural) a moving crowd of people

a narrow irrigation channel

Also called: drove chisel a chisel with a broad edge used for dressing stone

verb

(tr) to drive (a group of livestock), usually for a considerable distance
(intr) to be employed as a drover

to work (a stone surface) with a drove

Word Origin for drove

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

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012