drive to distraction

English

WOTD – 10 January 2021

Etymology

From drive (“to cause to become”) + to + distraction (“deranged state of mind; insanity”).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˌdɹaɪv tə dɪsˈtɹækʃ(ə)n/

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˌdɹaɪv tə dɪsˈtɹækʃən/, /də-/
• Hyphenation: drive to dis‧tract‧ion

Verb

drive to distraction (third-person singular simple present drives to distraction, present participle driving to distraction, simple past drove to distraction, past participle driven to distraction)

1. (transitive, hyperbolic) To annoy (someone) so much that they cannot concentrate.

   Synonyms: drive crazy, drive round the bend, drive up the wall

Related terms

• to distraction

Translations

to annoy (someone) so much that they cannot concentrate

Further reading

• “drive someone to distraction”, in Collins English Dictionary.
• “drive somebody to distraction” in Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English, Longman.
• “drive someone to distraction” (US) / “drive someone to distraction” (UK) in Macmillan English Dictionary.