▪ I. off-drive, n. Cricket.
(ˈɒfˌdraɪv, ɔː-)
[f. off adv. + drive n.]
A drive to the off (off D.3).
| 1867 Australasian 2 Feb. 140/2 He made a very good off drive for four. 1881 Daily News 9 July 2 Making an off drive for four. 1882 Daily Tel. 19 May, An off-drive for 3. 1963 Times 13 Feb. 4/3 A slightly mistimed off-drive let to a fine catch by Knight, running around in front of the screen. |
▪ II. off-drive, v. Cricket.
(ˈɒfˌdraɪv, ɔː-)
[f. prec. n.]
trans. To drive to the off (off D.3); also with the bowler as object. Hence off-driver, off-driving vbl. n.
| 1884 J. Lillywhite's Cricketers' Ann. 5 Leslie's 144 was an example of that player's very best style, his..off-driving being masterly. 1888 Pall Mall G. 22 Sept. 9/1 Then he off-drove his next ball to the ropes. 1893 R. Daft Kings of Cricket vi. 103 C. G. Lane..could, I think, ‘off drive’ Jackson better than any other player of the day. 1897 Westm. Gaz. 18 May 9/1 At 235 Ranjitsinjhi off-drove the new bowler for 4. 1904 F. C. Holland Cricket 10 Ernest Hayes of Surrey is as hard an off-driver as any. 1927 G. A. Terrill Out in Glare v. 95 Clement played his first ball defensively;..off-drove the next for three. 1955 Times 13 July 8/5 Off the third ball of what might have been the penultimate over Waite off-drove Tyson over the top of Lock. 1977 Guardian 3 Jan. 11/6 Greig began by off driving Chandra for four. |