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. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Any collection of irrational animals, moving or driving forward; as, a finny drove. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A crowd of people in motion. [ 1913 Webster ]

Where droves, as at a city gate, may pass. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. A road for driving cattle; a driftway. [ Eng. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

5. (Agric.) A narrow drain or channel used in the irrigation of land. Simmonds. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

2. To finish, as stone, with a drove or drove chisel. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

p. p. of Drive. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]