Provided is a hydraulic drive including a double-acting work cylinder with a piston having a first working surface effective in a retracting direction and a second working surface effective in an extending direction, wherein the first working surface delimits a first pressure chamber and the second working surface delimits a second pressure chamber, at least two different pressures being applicable to at least one of the first working surface and the second working surface for retracting or extending the piston into and out of the work cylinder, an actuator unit which optionally enables a throttled return flow of a hydraulic medium from the first pressure chamber delimited by the first working surface, and control means for triggering the actuator unit in such a way prior to a sudden acceleration of the piston due to a sudden force release.