Drift - definition, pronunciation, transcription

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Amer.  |drɪft|  American pronunciation of the word drift
Brit.  |drɪft|  British pronunciation of the word drift

noun

- a force that moves something along (syn: impetus, impulsion)
- the gradual departure from an intended course due to external influences (as a ship or plane)
- a process of linguistic change over a period of time
- a large mass of material that is heaped up by the wind or by water currents
- a general tendency to change (as of opinion) (syn: movement, trend)
- the pervading meaning or tenor (syn: purport)
caught the general drift of the conversation
- a horizontal (or nearly horizontal) passageway in a mine (syn: gallery, heading)
they dug a drift parallel with the vein

verb

- be in motion due to some air or water current (syn: blow, float)
the boat drifted on the lake
The sailboat was adrift on the open sea
the shipwrecked boat drifted away from the shore
- wander from a direct course or at random (syn: err, stray)
don't drift from the set course
- move about aimlessly or without any destination, often in search of food or employment (syn: cast, ramble, range, roam, roll, rove, stray, swan, tramp, vagabond, wander)
the laborers drift from one town to the next
- vary or move from a fixed point or course
stock prices are drifting higher
- live unhurriedly, irresponsibly, or freely
My son drifted around for years in California before going to law school
- move in an unhurried fashion
The unknown young man drifted among the invited guests
- cause to be carried by a current
drift the boats downstream
- drive slowly and far afield for grazing
drift the cattle herds westwards
- be subject to fluctuation
The stock market drifted upward
- be piled up in banks or heaps by the force of wind or a current
snow drifting several feet high
sand drifting like snow

Extra examples

As she got older, you could observe a drift in her writing towards more serious subjects.

The boat slowly drifted out to sea.

The clouds drifted across the sky.

The snow drifted against the side of the house.

Drifting snow covered most of the car.

The party guests drifted from room to room, eating and mingling.

Her eyes drifted across the crowd.

The conversation drifted from topic to topic.

My thoughts drifted back to the time when we first met.

After he left the army he just drifted for a few years.

She drifted from job to job.

Columns of smoke and ashes drifted to the south-east.

The snow had drifted our tracks.

The business seems to be drifting towards failure.

There is a steady low-class labour drift into London.

Phrasal verbs

drift apart  — lose personal contact over time
drift off  — change from a waking to a sleeping state

Word forms

verb
I/you/we/they: drift
he/she/it: drifts
present participle: drifting
past tense: drifted
past participle: drifted
noun
singular: drift
plural: drifts
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