drift
drift
drɪft
drift
/drɪft/

Definition & Meaning of "drift"in English

to drift
01

to slowly move in the air or on water

Intransitive
to drift definition and meaning
Examples
As the autumn leaves fell from the trees, they would drift with the gentle breeze.
02

to move with a relaxed pace, without a specific purpose or direction

Intransitive
to drift definition and meaning
Examples
After the picnic, they decided to drift along the beach.
03

to veer off or deviate from an intended path, course, or set parameters

Intransitive
Examples
As the discussion continued, the conversation would often drift away from the main topic.
04

to accumulate or be piled into heaps due to the action of the wind or a current

Intransitive
Examples
After the blizzard, the snow began to drift against the buildings.
05

to guide or lead livestock at a slow pace, typically to allow them to graze

Transitive: to drift livestock somewhere
Examples
The rancher would drift the cattle along the open range, allowing them to graze freely.
06

to cause an object or substance to be carried along by the natural movement of air, water, or another current

Transitive: to drift sth somewhere
Examples
The strong currents in the river drifted the logs downstream, creating a potential hazard for navigation.
07

to move through life or a period of time without a clear direction or purpose

Intransitive
Examples
After graduating, he drifted for a year, unsure of what to do.
08

to move between situations or roles without a specific plan or goal, often without long-term commitment

Intransitive: to drift between two or more situations or roles | to drift into a situation or role
Examples
She drifted into management after years of working in different departments.
Drift
01

a force that causes movement of an object

Examples
The drift of the current carried the boat away.
02

the gradual deviation from an intended path due to external influences

Examples
The plane experienced a drift off course in strong winds.
03

a nearly horizontal tunnel or passage in a mine

Examples
Miners worked in the drift to extract ore.
04

the general meaning, intention, or tenor of a statement or text

Examples
I understood the drift of his argument.
05

a general tendency or gradual change in opinion, attitude, or behavior

Examples
There was a drift toward more progressive policies.
06

a large accumulation of material formed by wind or water

Examples
Snow drifts blocked the road.
07

a process of gradual linguistic change over time

Examples
The language shows a drift toward simplification.
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