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What does drift mean?

Definitions for drift
drɪftdrift

This dictionary definitions page includes all the possible meanings, example usage and translations of the word drift.

Princeton's WordNet

  1. drift, impetus, impulsionnoun

    a force that moves something along

  2. driftnoun

    the gradual departure from an intended course due to external influences (as a ship or plane)

  3. driftnoun

    a process of linguistic change over a period of time

  4. driftnoun

    a large mass of material that is heaped up by the wind or by water currents

  5. drift, trend, movementnoun

    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"

  6. drift, purportnoun

    the pervading meaning or tenor

    "caught the general drift of the conversation"

  7. drift, heading, galleryverb

    a horizontal (or nearly horizontal) passageway in a mine

    "they dug a drift parallel with the vein"

  8. float, drift, be adrift, blowverb

    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"

  9. stray, err, driftverb

    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"

  10. roll, wander, swan, stray, tramp, roam, cast, ramble, rove, range, drift, vagabondverb

    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"

  11. driftverb

    vary or move from a fixed point or course

    "stock prices are drifting higher"

  12. freewheel, driftverb

    live unhurriedly, irresponsibly, or freely

    "My son drifted around for years in California before going to law school"

  13. driftverb

    move in an unhurried fashion

    "The unknown young man drifted among the invited guests"

  14. driftverb

    cause to be carried by a current

    "drift the boats downstream"

  15. driftverb

    drive slowly and far afield for grazing

    "drift the cattle herds westwards"

  16. driftverb

    be subject to fluctuation

    "The stock market drifted upward"

  17. driftverb

    be piled up in banks or heaps by the force of wind or a current

    "snow drifting several feet high"; "sand drifting like snow"

Wiktionary

  1. driftnoun

    The act or motion of drifting; the force which impels or drives; an overpowering influence or impulse.

  2. driftnoun

    A place, also known as a ford, along a river where the water is shallow enough to permit oxen or sheep to be driven to the opposite side.

  3. driftnoun

    Course or direction along which anything is driven; setting.

  4. driftnoun

    The tendency of an act, argument, course of conduct, or the like; object aimed at or intended; intention; hence, also, import or meaning of a sentence or discourse; aim.

  5. driftnoun

    That which is driven, forced, or urged along

  6. driftnoun

    Anything driven at random.

  7. driftnoun

    A mass of matter which has been driven or forced onward together in a body, or thrown together in a heap, etc., especially by wind or water; as, a drift of snow, of ice, of sand, and the like.

  8. driftnoun

    A drove or flock, as of cattle, sheep, birds.

  9. driftnoun

    The horizontal thrust or pressure of an arch or vault upon the abutments.

  10. driftverb

    To move slowly, pushed by currents of water, air, etc.

  11. driftverb

    To move haphazardly without any destination.

    He drifted from town to town, never settling down.

  12. driftverb

    To deviate gently from the intended direction of travel.

    This car tends to drift left at high speeds

  13. driftnoun

    A collection of loose earth and rocks, or boulders, which have been distributed over large portions of the earth's surface, especially in latitudes north of forty degrees, by the agency of ice.

  14. driftnoun

    a ford in a river.

  15. driftnoun

    A slightly tapered tool of steel for enlarging or shaping a hole in metal, by being forced or driven into or through it; a broach.

  16. driftnoun

    A tool used in driving down compactly the composition contained in a rocket, or like firework.

  17. driftnoun

    A deviation from the line of fire, peculiar to oblong projectiles.

  18. driftnoun

    A passage driven or cut between shaft and shaft; a driftway; a small subterranean gallery; an adit or tunnel.

  19. driftnoun

    The distance through which a current flows in a given time.

  20. driftnoun

    The angle which the line of a ship's motion makes with the meridian, in drifting.

  21. driftnoun

    The distance to which a vessel is carried off from her desired course by the wind, currents, or other causes.

  22. driftnoun

    The place in a deep-waisted vessel where the sheer is raised and the rail is cut off, and usually terminated with a scroll, or driftpiece.

  23. driftnoun

    The distance between the two blocks of a tackle.

  24. driftnoun

    The difference between the size of a bolt and the hole into which it is driven, or between the circumference of a hoop and that of the mast on which it is to be driven.

  25. driftnoun

    A sideways movement of the ball through the air, when bowled by a spin bowler.

  26. driftnoun

    Driftwood included in flotsam washed up onto the beach.

  27. driftnoun

    The material left behind by the retreat of continental glaciers, which buries former river valleys and creates young river valleys.

Samuel Johnson's Dictionary

  1. DRIFTnoun

    Etymology: from drive.

    A man being under the drift of any passion, will still follow the impulse of it, ’till something interpose, and, by a stronger impulse, turn him another way. Robert South, Sermons.

    The mighty trunk, half rent with rugged rift,
    Doth roll adown the rocks, and fall with fearful drift. F. Q.

    Some log, perhaps, upon the waters swam,
    An useless drift, which rudely cut within,
    And hollow’d, first a floating trough became,
    And cross some riv’let passage did begin. John Dryden, Ann. Mirab.

    The ready racers stand,
    Swift as on wings of wind up-borne they fly,
    And drifts of rising dust involve the sky. Alexander Pope, Odyssey.

    Our thunder from the South
    Shall rain their drift of bullets on this town. William Shakespeare, K. John.

    The particular drift of every act, proceeding eternally from God, we are not able to discern; and therefore cannot always give the proper and certain reason of his works. Hook.

    Their drift 'comes known, and they discover’d are;
    For some, of many, will be false of course. Samuel Daniel, C. War.

    The main drift of his book being to prove, that what is true is impossible to be false, he opposes nobody. John Tillotson, Pref.

    The drift of the pamphlet is to stir up our compassion towards the rebels. Addison.

    This by the stile, the manner, and the drift,
    ’Twas thought could be the work of none but Swift. Jonathan Swift.

  2. To Driftverb

    Etymology: from the noun.

    Snow no larger than so many grains of sand, drifted with the wind in clouds from every plain. Henry Ellis, Voyage.

    He wanders on
    From hill to dale, still more and more astray,
    Impatient flouncing through the drifted heaps. James Thomson.

ChatGPT

  1. drift

    Drift, in a general context, refers to gradual change or movement from one position, state, or condition to another over a period of time. This term is commonly used in various fields like science, statistics, genetics, etc, with slightly different connotations. For example, in the context of genetics, genetic drift refers to the variation in the frequency of a gene variant in a population due to random sampling and in financial markets, it could mean the gradual change in the value of a security or market index.

Webster Dictionary

  1. Driftnoun

    a driving; a violent movement

  2. Driftnoun

    the act or motion of drifting; the force which impels or drives; an overpowering influence or impulse

  3. Driftnoun

    course or direction along which anything is driven; setting

  4. Driftnoun

    the tendency of an act, argument, course of conduct, or the like; object aimed at or intended; intention; hence, also, import or meaning of a sentence or discourse; aim

  5. Driftnoun

    that which is driven, forced, or urged along

  6. Driftnoun

    anything driven at random

  7. Driftnoun

    a mass of matter which has been driven or forced onward together in a body, or thrown together in a heap, etc., esp. by wind or water; as, a drift of snow, of ice, of sand, and the like

  8. Driftnoun

    a drove or flock, as of cattle, sheep, birds

  9. Driftnoun

    the horizontal thrust or pressure of an arch or vault upon the abutments

  10. Driftnoun

    a collection of loose earth and rocks, or boulders, which have been distributed over large portions of the earth's surface, especially in latitudes north of forty degrees, by the agency of ice

  11. Driftnoun

    in South Africa, a ford in a river

  12. Driftnoun

    a slightly tapered tool of steel for enlarging or shaping a hole in metal, by being forced or driven into or through it; a broach

  13. Driftnoun

    a tool used in driving down compactly the composition contained in a rocket, or like firework

  14. Driftnoun

    a deviation from the line of fire, peculiar to oblong projectiles

  15. Driftnoun

    a passage driven or cut between shaft and shaft; a driftway; a small subterranean gallery; an adit or tunnel

  16. Driftnoun

    the distance through which a current flows in a given time

  17. Driftnoun

    the angle which the line of a ship's motion makes with the meridian, in drifting

  18. Driftnoun

    the distance to which a vessel is carried off from her desired course by the wind, currents, or other causes

  19. Driftnoun

    the place in a deep-waisted vessel where the sheer is raised and the rail is cut off, and usually terminated with a scroll, or driftpiece

  20. Driftnoun

    the distance between the two blocks of a tackle

  21. Driftnoun

    the difference between the size of a bolt and the hole into which it is driven, or between the circumference of a hoop and that of the mast on which it is to be driven

  22. Driftverb

    to float or be driven along by, or as by, a current of water or air; as, the ship drifted astern; a raft drifted ashore; the balloon drifts slowly east

  23. Driftverb

    to accumulate in heaps by the force of wind; to be driven into heaps; as, snow or sand drifts

  24. Driftverb

    to make a drift; to examine a vein or ledge for the purpose of ascertaining the presence of metals or ores; to follow a vein; to prospect

  25. Driftverb

    to drive or carry, as currents do a floating body

  26. Driftverb

    to drive into heaps; as, a current of wind drifts snow or sand

  27. Driftverb

    to enlarge or shape, as a hole, with a drift

  28. Driftadjective

    that causes drifting or that is drifted; movable by wind or currents; as, drift currents; drift ice; drift mud

  29. Etymology: [From drive; akin to LG. & D. drift a driving, Icel. drift snowdrift, Dan. drift, impulse, drove, herd, pasture, common, G. trift pasturage, drove. See Drive.]

Wikidata

  1. Drift

    Drift is a BBC Books original novel written by Simon A. Forward and based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It features the Fourth Doctor and Leela.

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary

  1. Drift

    drift, n. a driving: a heap of matter driven together, as snow: the direction in which a thing is driven: a slow current in the sea caused by the wind: leeway: the object aimed at: the meaning of words used: (geol.) detritus, such as broken rock, sand, gravel: (mining) a horizontal excavation or passage.—v.t. to drive into heaps, as snow.—v.i. to be floated along: to be driven into heaps.—ns. Drift′age, that which is drifted: the amount of deviation from a ship's course due to leeway; Drift′-an′chor, an anchor for keeping the ship's head to the wind; Drift′-bolt, a steel bolt used to drive out other bolts; Drift′-ice, floating masses of ice drifting before the wind; Drift′land, an old tribute paid for the privilege of driving cattle through a manor.—adj. Drift′less, without drift or aim.—ns. Drift′-min′ing, gold-mining by means of drifts in the gravel and detritus of old river-beds; Drift′-net, a net kept upright in the water by floats above and weights below; Drift′-sail, a sail immersed in the water, used for lessening the drift of a vessel during a storm; Drift′-way, a road over which cattle were driven: (min.) drift; Drift′-weed, gulf-weed: tangle; Drift′-wood, wood drifted by water.—adj. Drift′y, full of or forming drifts. [See Drive.]

Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms

  1. drift

    In ballistics, a shift in projectile direction due to gyroscopic action which results from gravitational and atmospherically induced torques on the spinning projectile.

Dictionary of Nautical Terms

  1. drift

    The altered position of a vessel by current or falling to leeward when hove-to or lying-to in a gale, when but little head-way is made by the action of sails. In artillery, a priming-iron of modern introduction used to clear the vent of ordnance from burning particles after each discharge. Also, a term sometimes used for the constant deflection of a rifled projectile. (See DEFLECTION.)

Military Dictionary and Gazetteer

  1. drift

    A tool used in driving down compactly the composition contained in a rocket, or like firework.

  2. drift

    A deviation peculiar to oblong rifle projectiles. See Projectiles.

Surnames Frequency by Census Records

  1. DRIFT

    According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Drift is ranked #118185 in terms of the most common surnames in America.

    The Drift surname appeared 147 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 would have the surname Drift.

    51% or 75 total occurrences were American Indian or Alaskan Native.
    39.4% or 58 total occurrences were White.
    7.4% or 11 total occurrences were of two or more races.

Matched Categories

British National Corpus

  1. Verbs Frequency

    Rank popularity for the word 'drift' in Verbs Frequency: #722

Usage in printed sourcesFrom: 

How to pronounce drift?

How to say drift in sign language?

Numerology

  1. Chaldean Numerology

    The numerical value of drift in Chaldean Numerology is: 1

  2. Pythagorean Numerology

    The numerical value of drift in Pythagorean Numerology is: 3

Examples of drift in a Sentence

  1. Alex Azar:

    The Food and Drug Administration intends to finalize a guidance document that would commence enforcement to require that all flavors, other than tobacco flavor, would be removed from the market, this would include mint and menthol flavoring, as well as candy flavors, bubblegum flavor, fruit flavor, alcohol flavor. You get the drift.

  2. Paul Mangiamele:

    What’s happening right now with other brands is an insidious disease called brand drift, these places get new CEOs and new owners with their own ideas who don’t appreciate or respect the culture and components that made these brands highfliers at one time. We’re taking dead aim at Outback Steakhouse because I think their brand is drifting. People are tired of the Bloomin’ Onion. They’re looking for something else in a value-priced steakhouse.

  3. Alan Gayle:

    Gradualism for rate increases is a soothing message for the market, september remains on the table, but the downward drift in the forecasts for next year means the increases will happen gradually, and that's a relief for investors.

  4. Gabe Somma:

    With every passing hour, the search expands. When you're searching for something in the ocean, tracking the drift patterns and dealing with weather elements -- things are moving.

  5. Hugh Dillon:

    I’m interested in the ethical drift, I’m in interested in the desensitization of both the prisoners and the guards and the world, that’s the town I’m from. So it has, it leaves an impact and we just dive into it.

more sentences »

Popularity rank by frequency of use

drift#10000#11779#100000

References

Translations for drift

From our Multilingual Translation Dictionary

  • انجرافArabic
  • тенденция, навяване, течение, насока, дрейф, дрейфувам, нося сеBulgarian
  • vagarejar, vagarCatalan, Valencian
  • závějCzech
  • irren, driften, ziellos ziehen, abdriften nach, Drift, ziehen nach, sich zu einer Verwehung anhäufen, zu Haufen zusammengeweht werden, Verwehungen bilden, zu einen Haufen zusammenwehen, ziellos wandern, treibenGerman
  • drivaĵo, drivi, drivoEsperanto
  • derivar, errar, ir a la deriva, derrape, vagarSpanish
  • triivEstonian
  • kasaantuma, kuljeskella, ajautua, ajautuminen, hortoilla, välys, lauma, harhailla, sortuma, ajelehtia, sorto, kasa, ajopuu, kasautumaFinnish
  • dérive, dériver, errer, dévierFrench
  • נסחףHebrew
  • भावHindi
  • torsello, punzoneItalian
  • 漂流Japanese
  • dreifētLatvian
  • makihoi, tūkōripi, whakatairangi, hū, māeroero, paratai, pārārikiMāori
  • vandreNorwegian
  • trekkenDutch
  • zaspa, dryftPolish
  • смещаться, дрейфовать, тенденция, течение, дрейф, сместиться, носиться, сноситьсяRussian
  • drift, drivaSwedish
  • trôi dạtVietnamese

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