dreave
English edit
Etymology 1 edit
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 edit
Verb edit
dreave (third-person singular simple present dreaves, present participle dreaving, simple past and past participle dreft or dreaved)
- (transitive, UK dialectal) To drive; drive out; drive away; expel.
Etymology 2 edit
From Middle English draf, from Old English drāf (“a drove, herd”). More at drove.
Alternative forms edit
Noun edit
dreave (plural dreaves)
- (UK dialectal) A drove.
- (UK dialectal) A crowd or throng of people.
- (UK dialectal, Scotland) The yearly herring fishing.
- (UK dialectal, Scotland) A shoal of fish; a catch.