define drift - Yahoo Search Results

Search results

Dictionary
drift

/drɪft/

verb
- 1. be carried slowly by a current of air or water: "the cabin cruiser started to drift downstream" Similar be carriedbe carried (away/along)be bornebe waftedfloatbobmove slowlygo with the currentcoastmeander
- ▪ walk slowly, aimlessly, or casually: "people began to drift away"
- ▪ move passively, aimlessly, or involuntarily into a certain situation or condition: "I've just drifted into things because they were offered to me and they seemed like fun"
- ▪ (of a person or their attention) digress or stray to another subject: "I noticed my audience's attention drifting" Similar straydigressdepartdivergeveerswervedeviateget sidetrackedrare:divagate
- 2. (especially of snow or leaves) be blown into heaps by the wind: "fallen leaves were starting to drift in the gutters" Similar pile upbank upheap upaccumulategatherform heaps/driftsamass
noun
- 1. a continuous slow movement from one place to another: "there was a drift to the towns" Similar movementshiftflowtransfertransferralrelocationgravitation
- ▪ the deviation of a vessel, aircraft, or projectile from its intended or expected course as the result of currents or winds: "the pilot had not noticed any appreciable drift" Similar deviationdigressionveeringstraying
- ▪ a steady movement or development from one thing towards another that is perceived as unwelcome: "the drift towards a more market-oriented system of higher education"
- ▪ a state of inaction or indecision: "after so much drift, any expression of enthusiasm is welcome"
- ▪ a controlled skid, used in taking bends at high speeds.
- 2. the general intention or meaning of an argument or someone's remarks: "maybe I'm too close to the forest to see the trees, if you catch my drift" Similar gistessencecoremeaningsensethesissubstancesignificancesignificationthrustimportpurporttenorveinspiritimplicationintentiondirectioncoursetendencytrend
- 3. a large mass of snow, leaves, or other material piled up or carried along by the wind: "four sheep were dug out of the drift" Similar pileheapbankmoundmassaccumulationduneridge
- ▪ glacial and fluvioglacial deposits left by retreating ice sheets.
- ▪ a large spread of flowering plants growing together: "a drift of daffodils"
- 4. a horizontal or inclined passage following a mineral vein or coal seam: "the drift led to another smaller ore chamber"
- 5. an act of driving cattle or sheep. historical British
- ▪ an act of herding cattle within a forest to a particular place on an appointed day in order to determine ownership or to levy fines.
- 6. a ford. South African
Word Origin Middle English (in the sense ‘mass of snow, leaves, etc.’): originally from Old Norse drift ‘snowdrift, something driven’; in later use from Middle Dutch drift ‘course, current’, and (in drift (sense 6 of the noun)) South African Dutch drift ‘ford’; related to drive.
Derivatives
- 1. drifty adjective
Scrabble Points: 9
- D
  2
- R
  1
- I
  1
- F
  4
- T
  1
Powered by Oxford Dictionaries
More definitions, origin and scrabble points
dictionary.cambridge.org › dictionary › englishDRIFT | English meaning - Cambridge Dictionary

dictionary.cambridge.org › dictionary › english
- Cached
Learn the meaning of drift as a verb, noun, and idiom in English. Find out how to use drift in different contexts, such as sports, finance, and weather, with synonyms and examples.
- English (US)
  DRIFT meaning: 1. to move slowly, especially as a result of...
- Znaczenie Drift, Definicja W Cambridge English Dictionary
  DRIFT definicja: 1. to move slowly, especially as a result...
- Drift Spanish Translation
  DRIFT translate: ir a la deriva, decaimiento [masculine],...
- Drift: French Translation
  DRIFT translate: dérive [feminine], dérive [feminine],...
www.merriam-webster.com › dictionary › driftDrift Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster

www.merriam-webster.com › dictionary › drift
- Cached
Learn the various meanings and uses of the word drift as a noun and a verb, with synonyms, examples, and etymology. Find out how drift can refer to a current, a tendency, a skid, a mine passage, and more.
Videos
View all
www.dictionary.com › browse › driftDRIFT Definition & Meaning | Dictionary.com

www.dictionary.com › browse › drift
- Cached
noun. a driving movement or force; impulse; impetus; pressure. Navigation. (of a ship) the component of the movement that is due to the force of wind and currents. Oceanography. a broad, shallow ocean current that advances at the rate of 10 to 15 miles (16 to 24 km) a day. Nautical. the flow or the speed in knots of an ocean current.
www.collinsdictionary.com › dictionary › englishDRIFT definition and meaning | Collins English Dictionary

www.collinsdictionary.com › dictionary › english
- Cached
1 day ago · Learn the meaning of drift as a verb, noun, and adjective, with synonyms and examples. Find out how drift can describe movement, tendency, or condition in different contexts.
dictionary.cambridge.org › dictionary › learner-englishDRIFT | meaning - Cambridge Learner's Dictionary

dictionary.cambridge.org › dictionary › learner-english
- Cached
Drift can be a verb or a noun with different meanings. As a verb, it means to move slowly or to get into a situation without planning. As a noun, it means a slow movement or a pile of snow or leaves.
www.thefreedictionary.com › driftDrift - definition of drift by The Free Dictionary

www.thefreedictionary.com › drift
- Cached
Drift can mean to move aimlessly, to vary randomly, or to pile up by a current. It can also refer to a current, a trend, a tool, or a passageway. See different meanings and usage of drift in various contexts.
www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com › definition › englishdrift verb - Definition, pictures, pronunciation and usage notes...

www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com › definition › english
- Cached
Learn the meaning, pronunciation and examples of the verb drift, which can mean to move slowly, to go somewhere without purpose, or to change into a state. Find out how to use drift in different contexts and collocations.

Yahoo Web Search

Search results

D

R

I

F

T