Drift

verb

drɪft

Noun

the pervading meaning or tenor
“caught the general drift of the conversation”
Similar:Purport
Type of:StrainTenor
a horizontal (or nearly horizontal) passageway in a mine
“they dug a drift parallel with the vein”
Similar:Gallery Heading
Type of:Passageway
a force that moves something along
Similar:ImpetusImpulsion
Type of:Force
a general tendency to change (as of opinion)
Similar:Movement Trend
Type of:DispositionInclinationTendency
a large mass of material that is heaped up by the wind or by water currents
Type of:Mass
a process of linguistic change over a period of time
the gradual departure from an intended course due to external influences (as a ship or plane)
Type of:ActivityAction

be in motion due to some air or water current
“the boat drifted on the lake”
“The sailboat was adrift on the open sea”
“the shipwrecked boat drifted away from the shore”
Similar:Blow Float
Type of:LocomoteGoTravel
live unhurriedly, irresponsibly, or freely
“My son drifted around for years in California before going to law school”
Similar:Freewheel
Type of:SurviveExistLive
move about aimlessly or without any destination, often in search of food or employment
“the laborers drift from one town to the next”
Similar:Cast Ramble Range Roam Roll
Type of:MoveLocomoteTravel
wander from a direct course or at random
“don't drift from the set course”
Similar:Err Stray
Type of:LocomoteGoMove
be piled up in banks or heaps by the force of wind or a current
“snow drifting several feet high”
“sand drifting like snow”
Type of:GatherCumulateAccumulate
be subject to fluctuation
“The stock market drifted upward”
Type of:Change
cause to be carried by a current
“drift the boats downstream”
Type of:Float
drive slowly and far afield for grazing
“drift the cattle herds westwards”
Type of:GrazeCropPasture
move in an unhurried fashion
“The unknown young man drifted among the invited guests”
Type of:Circulate
vary or move from a fixed point or course
“stock prices are drifting higher”
Type of:Vary