This is from Wikipedia but as for me it �s not only in north american usage: "In
North American usage, highway normally designates a main road for
travel between important destinations, such as
cities, large
towns, and
states. Highway designs vary widely and can range from a two-lane road without margins to a multi-lane, grade-separated
expressway,
freeway, or
motorway. However, in practical and useful meaning, a "highway" is a major and significant, well-constucted road that is capable of carrying reasonably-heavy to extremely-heavy traffic."
a drive is "a road leading up to a private house" or "a road for vehicles, esp. a scenic one, as in or along a park, or a short one, as an approach to a house".
