Drove, n. [AS. drāf, fr.
drīfan to drive. See Drive.] 1.
A collection of cattle driven, or cattle collected for driving;
a number of animals, as oxen, sheep, or swine, driven in a
body.
2. Any collection of irrational animals,
moving or driving forward; as, a finny drove.
Milton.
3. A crowd of people in motion.
Where droves, as at a city gate, may
pass.
Dryden.
4. A road for driving cattle; a
driftway. [Eng.]
5. (Agric.) A narrow drain or channel
used in the irrigation of land. Simmonds.
6. (Masonry) (a) A
broad chisel used to bring stone to a nearly smooth surface; --
called also drove chisel. (b) The
grooved surface of stone finished by the drove chisel; -- called also
drove work.
Drove (?), v. t. & i. [imp. &
p. p. Droved (?); p. pr. & vb. n.
Droving (?).] [Cf. Drove, n., and
Drover.] 1. To drive, as cattle or sheep,
esp. on long journeys; to follow the occupation of a drover.
He's droving now with Conroy's sheep along the
Castlereagh.
Paterson.
2. To finish, as stone, with a drove or drove
chisel.
Drove (?), imp. of
Drive.