The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 9 letter word IMPULSION
I've seen this crossword clue in The Times
I
M
P
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Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "Drive" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case drive = impulsion.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does IMPULSION mean?
IMPULSION noun- The act of impelling or driving onward, or the state of being impelled; the sudden or momentary agency of a body in motion on another body; also, the impelling force, or impulse.
- Influence acting unexpectedly or temporarily on the mind; sudden motive or influence; impulse.