Definition of drift - Reverso English Dictionary
Verb
1.
slow movementmove slowly pushed by wind or water
- The boat began to drift across the lake.
2.
aimless wanderingwander without a specific destination
- He would drift from town to town.
3.
gentle deviationdeviate gently from intended direction
- The car started to drift off the road.
4.
unplanned situationmove into a situation unintentionally
- She drifted into a new career.
5.
heap accumulationaccumulate in heaps by wind
- Snow began to drift against the fence.
6.
motorsport techniquetr. TECH. oversteer a vehicle while maintaining controltr. TECH.
- He expertly drifted around the corner.
7.
engineering processtr. TECH. widen a hole by using a tapered metal tooltr. TECH.
- The worker drifted the hole to fit the bolt.
Noun
1.
natural movementslow movement caused by wind or water
- The drift of the snow covered the path.
2.
changegeneral tendency or direction of change
- The drift of public opinion is shifting.
3.
accumulationmass of material accumulated by wind or water
- A drift of leaves blocked the drain.
4.
communicationthe main point or meaning of something
- I didn't catch the drift of his argument.
5.
navigationdeviation from an intended course
- The ship's drift was corrected by the captain.
6.
racingTECH. controlled skid in racingTECH.
- The driver executed a perfect drift around the corner.
7.
mining passageTECH. horizontal passage in a mineTECH.
- The miners explored the drift for new veins.
Images of drift
mass of material accumulated by wind or water 
controlled skid in racing 
horizontal passage in a mine
Expressions with drift
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gradually become less close or friendly
Over the years, the childhood friends began to drift apart..
fall asleep slowly and gradually
She started to drift off during the movie.
continue in life or work without clear plans or strong effort
He spent years just drifting along after finishing college.
gradually move into a situation
She drifted into a deep sleep after reading.
understand what I am implying
I can't say it directly, but I hope you catch my drift.
grasp the underlying implication or hint
She didn't say it directly, but I catch her drift about the changes.
grasp the main idea or essence
She didn't explain everything, but I catch the drift of her argument.
gradually enter and leave a state or condition
She drifted in and out of sleep during the lecture.
move slowly and without control in a certain direction
The boat began to drift towards the shore.
move passively with the current
The boat started to drift with the stream.
follow the prevailing trend without resistance
He tends to drift with the tide, never voicing his own opinions.
understand what I mean
I can't explain it all now, but you get my drift, right?
understand what someone is implying or suggesting
I think I get your drift about the plan.
understand the general meaning or essence
I didn't catch every word, but I get the drift of his speech.
allow a situation to develop without control
He decided to let things drift in his career.
move slowly away from a fixed point or position
The boat began to drift away from the shore..
move away from the planned path without meaning to
The boat began to drift off course during the storm.
start thinking about things not related to the current task
Her mind starts to drift during long meetings.
fishing by letting the bait drift with the current
Drift fishing with live bait can be very effective.
masses of ice floating in the open sea
The Arctic Ocean is covered with drift ice.
gradual shift of attention away from a task
Focus drift caused him to lose track of the meeting.
gradual movement of continents across Earth's surface
The theory of continental drift explains how continents have moved over millions of years..
large fishing net that floats and drifts with the current
Fishermen caught tuna using a drift net.
random change in allele frequencies in a population
Genetic drift can lead to significant changes in small populations.
Origin of drift
Old Norse, drífa (to drive)
Terms with drift included in their meaning
💡 A powerful way to uncover related words, idioms, and expressions linked by the same idea — and explore meaning beyond exact word matches.
drift
move gently through the air or water
daydream
allow your thoughts to drift without focus
mental drift
got distracted as thoughts moved elsewhere
absent-mindedness
to have thoughts drift away from the current task or situation
mental distraction
state when thoughts drift away from what is happening
science
able to move or drift, not fixed in place
drift
move smoothly and effortlessly with the current
car drift
driving maneuver causing the rear wheels to slide
mindset drift
change in ideas, feelings, or opinions
daydreaming
allow thoughts to drift without focus
thought
general drift or course of thought
gentle drift
moving lightly and smoothly
drift
large pile of snow formed by wind or plowing
measurement drift
deviation from a normal value or path
oceanography
direction or drift of a current
drift
move passively with the current
navigation
sideways drift of a ship or aircraft
sailing
retractable board on sailboats preventing sideways drift
sailing boat
removable vertical board on a boat that prevents sideways drift
tired mood
be sleepy, sluggish, or drift into light sleep
acr: Post-Earnings Announcement Drift
price changes after earnings announcement
biology
relating to organisms that drift in water
sailboats
retractable fin keel preventing leeward drift
recreation
fishing by letting the bait drift with the current
Examples of drift in a sentence
Clouds drift lazily across the sky. She would drift along the beach for hours. Clouds drift across the sky lazily. The conversation began to drift towards politics. He drifted into debt without realizing it. They drifted into a heated argument.
Leaves drifted into piles along the curb. Fine sand can drift across the highway overnight. The car drifted smoothly on the icy road. She learned to drift during racing school. He drifted the metal to create a precise fit. The technician drifted the opening for the new component. The drift of the leaves was mesmerizing in the autumn breeze. The ocean's drift carried the boat far from shore. The drift in the market is concerning. Scientists study the drift of continents. A drift of snow covered the path. The boat was stuck in a drift of sand. She quickly understood the drift of the conversation. The drift of the lecture was lost on him. The plane's drift was monitored by the crew. Drift in the river's course affected the bridge's stability. The drift was thrilling to watch during the race. He lost control during the drift and crashed. They reinforced the drift to ensure safety. The drift was the oldest part of the mine.
View all translations of drift
Click below to see the appropriate translations facing each meaning.
- French:dériver, dérive, ...
- German:treiben, Drift, ...
- Italian:derivare, deriva, ...
- Spanish:derivar, deriva, ...
- Portuguese:derivar, deslocamento, ...
- Chinese:漂, 移动, ...
- Japanese:漂う, 漂流, ...
- Arabic:انْجَرَفَ, انْجِرَاف, ...
- Hebrew:לְהִיסָּחֵף, סַחַף, ...
- Russian:дрейфовать, дрейф, ...
- Ukrainian:дрейфувати, дрейф, ...
- Hindi:बहना, बहाव, ...
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