drive up
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Related to drive up: drive up the wall
drive up
1. verb To drive to a place that is north of one's current location. I do live in Florida now, but I'm actually driving up to New York this weekend to visit my family.
2. verb To drive one to a place that is north of one's current location. In this usage, a noun or pronoun can be used between "drive" and "up." I do live in Florida now, but I have to drive my sister up to New York this weekend.
3. verb To drive a particular vehicle to a place that is north of one's current location. In this usage, a noun or pronoun can be used between "drive" and "up." My sister recently moved to New York, so I'm driving her car up there this weekend.
4. verb When driving, to reach a destination (and then stop). I'm sorry I didn't meet you outside—I didn't hear you drive up.
5. adjective Describing an establishment or place with an outdoor lane designed to serve customers seated in their cars. In this usage, the phrase is usually hyphenated. Does that bank have a drive-up ATM?
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2022 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.
drive someone up
(to some place ) to transport someone to a place on a higher level or to a place in the north. Ralph drove Sally up to the cabin. He was going to drive her up last week, but could not.
drive up
(to some place) to arrive some place in a vehicle. She drove up to the door and stopped. Sally drove up and honked.
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
drive up
v.
1. To arrive at a destination in a vehicle: I was standing in front of the house when they drove up.
2. To drive a vehicle upward, northward, or along some path: We drove up the mountain. The fire engines were driving up the street.
3. To drive some vehicle upward, northward, or along some path: Let's drive the van up to Canada. We were driving our new sports car up the street.
4. To cause something to increase rapidly: The scarce supply of oil is driving up prices. The interest in the new toy drove up sales.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Phrasal Verbs. Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.