† to-drivev.
Obsolete.
1.
a. transitive. To disperse, rout, scatter; to drive apart, separate; to drive away, dispel.
ΘΚΠ
the world > movement > motion in a certain direction > going away > causing to go away > command to go away [verb (transitive)] > drive away > drive away in all directions
to-driveOE
to-dreveOE
to-skairc1175
scattera1300
skaila1300
disparplea1325
sheda1325
discatterc1330
to-scattera1382
sparple1382
to-rusha1387
to-sparplea1387
deperpeyla1400
rat1402
sever1412
to-ratc1440
disparklec1449
scarkle1450
sparklea1470
disperse1503
shudderc1540
sparse1549
dissipate?c1550
to wap sindry1563
squander1622
rout1641
to feeze about1689
OE (Northumbrian) Lindisf. Gospels: John x. 12 Lupus rapit et dispergit oues : ðe ulf nimeð..& tostraigdes uel todrifeð ða scip.
OE Beowulf (2008) 545 Ða wit ætsomne on sæ wæron fifnihta fyrst, oþ þæt unc flod todraf.
OE tr. Pseudo-Apuleius Herbarium (Harl. 585) (O.E.D. transcript) (1984) lxvii. 110 Wið ealle attru genim þysse sylfan wyrte dust, syle drincan, ealle attru heo todrifð [?a1200 Harl. 6258B todrifd].
c1175 Ormulum (Burchfield transcript) l. 16397 Forr þatt hiss stren all shollde ben. To drifenn. & toskeȝȝredd.
c1325 (c1300) Chron. Robert of Gloucester (Calig.) 4722 At bedeford come þe saxons & smite an batayle & to driue [?a1425 Digby to droue, a1450 London Univ. to drofe] þe brutons.
?a1400 (a1338) R. Mannyng Chron. (Petyt) ii. 16 Þe kyng was narow holden, his folk alle to dryuen.
c1400 (?a1387) W. Langland Piers Plowman (Huntington HM 137) (1873) C. xxiii. l. 174 Leche-craft lette sholde elde, And to-dryue away deþ with..drogges.
?a1425 (a1325) Chron. Robert of Gloucester (Digby) (1887) App. G. 789 (MED) To dryued [a1400 Trin. Cambr. Þo bi gan þe wynd to wexe & come stormes grete Þat euerich schip fram oþer to drefde ar hij lete].
a1475 (?a1350) Seege Troye (Harl.) (1927) l. 1861 (MED) Were Ectour on lyve He wold our fomen all to-dryve.
b. transitive. To dash to pieces; to smash, destroy. Also figurative.
ΘΚΠ
the world > existence and causation > creation > destruction > breaking or cracking > break [verb (transitive)] > break to pieces, shatter, or burst
to-breakc888
briteOE
to-shenec950
abreakOE
forgnidea1000
to-brytc1000
to-burstc1000
to-driveOE
shiverc1200
to-shiverc1200
to-reavec1225
shiverc1250
debruise1297
to-crack13..
to-frushc1300
to-sliftc1315
chinec1330
littlec1350
dingc1380
bruisea1382
burst1382
rushc1390
shinderc1390
spald?a1400
brittenc1400
pashc1400
forbruise1413
to break, etc. into sherds1426
shattera1450
truncheon1477
scarboyle1502
shonk1508
to-shattera1513
rash1513
shidera1529
grind1535
infringe1543
dishiver1562
rupture1578
splinter1582
tear1582
disshiver1596
upburst1596
to burst up1601
diminish1607
confract1609
to blow (shiver, smash, tear, etc.) to or into atoms1612
dishatter1615
vanquashc1626
beshiver1647
disfrange1778
smash1778
explode1784
bust1806
spell1811
smithereen1878
shard1900
OE Wærferð tr. Gregory Dialogues (Hatton) (1900) i. iv. 41 Soðlice seo þiccnys þara woruldcara swiðe awesteð & todrifeð [L. deuastat] anra gehwilces bisceopes mod.
c1275 (?a1200) Laȝamon Brut (Calig.) (1978) l. 13000 Þe eotend up a-sturte & igrap his mucle clubbe, and wende mid þan dunten Arður al to-driuen.
a1350 in R. H. Robbins Hist. Poems 14th & 15th Cent. (1959) 10 Sixtene hundred of horsmen asemblede o þe gras... Þe flemmysshe yherden telle þe cas..ant al hem to-dryuen ase ston doþ þe glas, ant fellen hem to grounde.
c1390 Castle of Love (Vernon) (1967) 862 Þer scholde comen a wommon blyþe [read blyue] Þat scholde al his pouste to-dryue.
a1400 (c1303) R. Mannyng Handlyng Synne (Harl.) l. 9296 (MED) Whan hys rolle was wryte alle ful..He al to-drofe hyt with hys fyste.
c1580 ( tr. Bk. Alexander (1927) III. ii. l. 5462 Or ellis thy hede I sall of ryf, Or armis sall brek and all to-dryf!
c. intransitive. To strike out violently. rare.
ΘΚΠ
the world > movement > impact > striking > striking with specific degree of force > strike with specific degree of force [verb (intransitive)] > violently
to-drivec1275
to-smitec1460
c1275 (?a1200) Laȝamon Brut (Calig.) (1963) l. 4065 Euelin wes swiðe wrað & mid þan stæue to-draf [c1300 Otho to-drof]. and smat Herigal a þon ribben.
2. intransitive. To be splintered or shattered; to break up; to burst.
ΘΚΠ
the world > existence and causation > creation > destruction > breaking or cracking > break [verb (intransitive)] > shatter or break to pieces or burst
to-burstc893
forbursta1000
springOE
to-flyc1000
to-shootc1000
to-springc1000
to-drevea1225
to-resea1225
to-breakc1230
to go shiversc1275
to-drivec1275
to-rivec1275
to-shenec1275
to-wendc1275
debruise1297
lash13..
to-dashc1300
to-scatter13..
to-shiver13..
shiverc1330
bequash1377
shinderc1390
brasta1400
bursta1400
to-shiderc1450
to fly in pieces1488
sprent1488
splindera1500
reavec1560
dishiver1562
shatter1567
disshiver1586
split1590
slent1608
besplit1638
disrupt1657
splintera1661
rupture1734
explode1784
to ding in staves1786
to break, knock etc., or go, to smash1798
spell1811
to go (also run) smash1818
to play smash1841
bust1844
splitter1860
disrump1886
to fall into staves1895
smash1904
c1275 (?a1200) Laȝamon Brut (Calig.) (1963) l. 1446 Þe king feol on þene rof þat he al to-draf.
c1330 Otuel (Auch.) (1882) l. 1646 Oppon þe windou he schof, Þat þe windou al to-drof.
c1450 in F. J. Furnivall Hymns to Virgin & Christ (1867) 122 Alle the worlle schalle to-dryve; Wo be þey þatt ben on lyve!
c1450 (?a1400) T. Chestre Sir Launfal (1930) l. 482 Þan myȝte me se..Speres tobreste and todryue.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2016; most recently modified version published online June 2021).
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v.OE