dreave

English

Etymology 1

From Middle English dreven, from Old English drǣfan (“to drive, drive out, expel”), from Proto-Germanic *draibijaną (“to cause to drive”), from Proto-Indo-European *dʰreybʰ- (“to drive, push”). Cognate with Icelandic dreifa (“to spread out, disperse”). More at drive.

Alternative forms

• dreve

Verb

dreave (third-person singular simple present dreaves, present participle dreaving, simple past and past participle dreft or dreaved)

1. (transitive, UK dialectal) To drive; drive out; drive away; expel.

Etymology 2

From Middle English draf, from Old English drāf (“a drove, herd”). More at drove.

Alternative forms

• drave, draif, dreef

Noun

dreave (plural dreaves)

1. (UK dialectal) A drove.
2. (UK dialectal) A crowd or throng of people.
3. (UK dialectal, Scotland) The yearly herring fishing.
4. (UK dialectal, Scotland) A shoal of fish; a catch.

Anagrams

• Deaver, Devera, avered, evader, reaved, vereda