four-wheel drive
Americannoun
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a drive system in which engine power is transmitted to all four wheels for improved traction.
-
a vehicle having such a system. 4WD
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of four-wheel drive
First recorded in 1925–30
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
We rented a four-wheel drive van and stayed in Mariposa.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 5, 2024
They had a kind of hysterical look and emphatically told us not to try, even though my Toyota Highlander SUV has four-wheel drive.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 16, 2024
The shuttle is also convenient for those who are not comfortable driving in the snow or with four-wheel drive, chains and snow tires — and for those looking to melt the Seattle Freeze.
From Seattle Times ● Feb. 29, 2024
Residents described the forest track as "deeply rutted" and a challenge even for four-wheel drive vehicles.
From BBC ● Nov. 13, 2023
“If you’re not leaving, then let us borrow your truck. We need four-wheel drive to get us where we’re going.”
From "Dry" by Neal Shusterman and Jarrod Shusterman
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
