A drive is motivational tension, or arousal, that energizes behavior to fulfill a need. Many basic drives, such as hunger, thirst, sleep, and sex, are related to biological needs of the body or of the species as a whole. These are called primary drives. Primary drives contrast with secondary drives, in which behavior fulfills no obvious biological need. In secondary drives, prior experience and learning bring about needs. For instance, some people have strong needs to achieve academically and professionally. We can say that their achievement need is reflected in a secondary drive that motivates their behavior.
Drive is a general term for a strong urge in an animal or human, including those urges that are sometimes referred to as instinctive.