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drift Definition

drift (drift)

noun

  1. an act or instance of being driven or carried along, as by a current of air or water or by circumstances
  2. the course on which something is directed or driven
  3. the deviation of a ship, airplane, rocket, etc. from its path, caused by side currents or winds
    1. the velocity of a current of water
    2. a slow ocean current
    1. a gradual shifting in position
    2. a random course, variation, or deviation
  4. a gradual movement or change in some direction or toward some end or purpose; trend; tendency
  5. general meaning of what is said or done; intent; tenor
    1. something driven, as rain, snow, or smoke driven before the wind, or floating matter driven by water currents
    2. a heap of snow, sand, etc. piled up by the wind, or floating matter washed ashore
  6. Electronics a deviation or variation of a quantity, as voltage, from its assigned value
  7. Geol. sand, gravel, boulders, etc. moved and deposited by a glacier or by water arising from its melting ice
  8. Linguis. a gradual change along a certain line of development in the various elements of a language
  9. Mech.
    1. a tool used for ramming or driving down a heavy object
    2. a tool for enlarging or shaping holes
  10. Mining
    1. a horizontal passageway driven into or along the path of a vein or rock layer
    2. a small tunnel connecting two larger shafts

Etymology: ME (akin to ON & MDu drift, OHG trift) < OE drifan, drive

intransitive verb

  1. to be carried along by or as by a current
  2. to be carried along by circumstances; go along aimlessly
  3. to wander about from place to place, from job to job, etc.
  4. to accumulate in heaps by force of wind or water
  5. to become heaped with drifting snow, sand, etc.
  6. to move easily or gradually away from a set position
  7. West to range far afield in a drove, as in seeking pasture or escaping a storm: said of cattle

transitive verb

  1. to cause to drift
  2. to cover with drifts

drift Related Forms

drifter noun

drift Idioms

drift apart

to gradually lose interest in or affection for each other

drift Synonyms

drift

n.

  1. A tendency in movement

    bent, tenor, trend, tendency, end, effort, inclination, course, impulse, impetus, propulsion, aim, scope, tone, goal, push, bias, set, gravity, leaning, progress, conduct, propensity, disposition, bearing, proneness, line, tack, set, spirit; see also direction 1, route 1.

    Antonyms indifference*, aimlessness, inertia. *

  2. The measure or character of movement

    deviation, wash, aberration, motion, leeway, flux, flow, current, stream, diversion, digression, swerving, sweep, warp, departure; see also flow.

  3. General meaning

    tenor, purport, intention, object; see meaning.

  4. Something blown

    bank, mass, pile, snowdrift; see heap.

  5. A tunnel following a vein of ore

    adit, underground passage, subway; see tunnel. See syn. study at tendency.

drift Synonyms

drift

v.

float, ride, sail, cruise, coast, waft, wander aimlessly, wander at random, move with the current, gravitate, tend, be carried along, go with the tide, be caught in the current, wanderer, roam, rove, stray, go with the flow*, bum around*; see also flow 1, roam.

Antonyms steer*, push*, pull.

drift Usage Examples

Object

  • buoy: The group has always been involved in the development of drifting buoys.
  • snow: Any extra load, such as leaning animals, fallen trees, wind, drifted snow.

Adjective modifier

  • longshore: Name 3 PUSH factors 3. Explain the process of longshore drift 53.
  • continental: Modern ideas of continental drift have proved this to be true.
  • glacial: Two glaciers converged across the North Shropshire Plain leaving thick layers of glacial drift.
  • rightward: I knew Robert was deeply unhappy with the rightward drift of the Conservatives.
  • upward: Lately there has, however, been an upward drift in the level of awards.
  • genetic: Genetic drift represents the random change of genes in populations.

Preposition: into

obscurity: Again, sport is increasingly dominated by business, while more peripheral pastimes drift into obscurity.

Modifies a noun

  • geology: The drift geology map for the LCA also highlights the extensive alluvial deposits associated with the present-day floodplain of the lagan.
  • dive: The locals often do a drift dive along the reef at the mouth of Lac Bay.
  • velocity: For very low E / N, the drift velocity is proportional to E / N.
  • diving: This is also an excellent location for exhilarating drift diving.

Noun used with modifier

  • river-terrace: On the narrow plateau areas the geology is plateau and river-terrace drift.
  • spray: It must be applied in dry, still conditions avoiding spray drift.
  • snow: A blizzard had been raging over the Christmas period, and large snow drifts built up.

Preposition: of

daffodil: The arboretum is also under planted with drifts of wild daffodils, bluebells, terrestrial orchids and snowdrops.

Followed by an intransitive particle

  • along: The mind drifts along on the winds of it's whims.
  • off: And, as he relaxes and drifts off, she reaches for the tent peg.
  • across: Soon drifting voices drift across to us, answered from our side.

Browse dictionary entries near drift

  1. driest
  2. drier
  3. driegh
  4. dried
  5. driblet
  6. dribble
  7. drib
  8. DRG
  9. Dreyfus
  10. drew
  1. drift anchor
  2. driftage
  3. drifter
  4. driftwood
  5. drifty
  6. drill
  7. drill press
  8. drilling mud
  9. drillmaster
  10. drillstock