drift
/drˈɪft/
Explore definitions, synonyms, and language insights of drift
Definitions
Noun
a force that moves something along
Noun
the gradual departure from an intended course due to external influences (as a ship or plane)
Noun
a process of linguistic change over a period of time
Noun
a large mass of material that is heaped up by the wind or by water currents
Noun
a general tendency to change (as of opinion); "not openly liberal but that is the trend of the book"; "a broad movement of the electorate to the right"
Noun
the pervading meaning or tenor; "caught the general drift of the conversation"
Noun
a horizontal (or nearly horizontal) passageway in a mine; "they dug a drift parallel with the vein"
Verb
be in motion due to some air or water current; "The leaves were blowing in the wind"; "the boat drifted on the lake"; "The sailboat was adrift on the open sea"; "the shipwrecked boat drifted away from the shore"
Verb
wander from a direct course or at random; "The child strayed from the path and her parents lost sight of her"; "don''t drift from the set course"
Verb
move about aimlessly or without any destination, often in search of food or employment; "The gypsies roamed the woods"; "roving vagabonds"; "the wandering Jew"; "The cattle roam across the prairie"; "the laborers drift from one town to the next"; "They rolled from town to town"
Verb
vary or move from a fixed point or course; "stock prices are drifting higher"
Verb
live unhurriedly, irresponsibly, or freely; "My son drifted around for years in California before going to law school"
Verb
move in an unhurried fashion; "The unknown young man drifted among the invited guests"
Verb
cause to be carried by a current; "drift the boats downstream"
Verb
drive slowly and far afield for grazing; "drift the cattle herds westwards"
Verb
be subject to fluctuation; "The stock market drifted upward"
Verb
be piled up in banks or heaps by the force of wind or a current; "snow drifting several feet high"; "sand drifting like snow"
Synonyms
be adrift
blow
cast
err
float
freewheel
gallery
heading
impetus
impulsion
movement
purport
ramble
range
roam
roll
rove
stray
swan
tramp
trend
vagabond
wander
More General Terms
accumulate
action
activity
amass
change
circulate
conglomerate
crop
cumulate
disposition
exist
float
force
gather
go
graze
inclination
linguistic process
live
locomote
mass
move
natural action
natural process
passageway
pasture
pile up
strain
subsist
survive
tendency
tenor
travel
vary
More Specific Terms
drumlin
evolutionary trend
gad
gallivant
gravitation
jazz around
leeway
maunder
melioration
snowdrift
stream
tide
waft