Pronunciations (2)
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/dɹɪft/
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dɹɪft
Noun
Movement; that which moves or is moved. Anything driven at random.
Usage- Countable
- physical
- Uncountable
- Examples
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Some log perhaps upon the waters swam, a useless drift.
Movement; that which moves or is moved. 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.
Usage- Countable
- physical
- Uncountable
- Examples
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a drift of snow, of ice, of sand, of plants, etc.
Drifts of rising dust involve the sky.
More examples (3)
We […] got the brig a good bed in the rushing drift [of ice].
Many of these ground-layer plants were placed in naturalistic drifts to make it appear as if they were sowing themselves.
"During the winter, we get really bad snow conditions. We can go to eight inches of snow above the railhead, then the trains are stopped. It's usually more like four inches, but you get big drifts up towards Rannoch.
Movement; that which moves or is moved. The distance through which a current flows in a given time.
Usage- Countable
- physical
- Uncountable
Movement; that which moves or is moved. The animals being moved in a drive, as of cattle, goats, horses, pigs or sheep.
Usage- collective
- Countable
- physical
- Uncountable
- Synonyms
- Examples
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cattle coming over the bridge (with their great drifts doing much damage to the high ways)
...traveling slowly, like a drift of horses
More examples (1)
Mind yourselves below; there's a drift of sheep coming down the road
Movement; that which moves or is moved. A group of birds moving together.
Usage- collective
- Countable
- physical
- Uncountable
- Synonyms
- Examples
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A drift of geese rose over the bank.
a drift of ducks waddled in panic from her bare feet
More examples (1)
a drift of birds, wheeling flashing their white underwings
Movement; that which moves or is moved. 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 retreat of continental glaciers, such as that which buries former river valleys and creates young river valleys.
Usage- Countable
- physical
- Uncountable
- Examples
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More examples (1)
It is there seen that at a distance from the valleys of streams, the old glacial drift usually comes to the surface, and often rises into considerable eminences.
Movement; that which moves or is moved. A collection of logs floating down a river.
Usage- Countable
- physical
Movement; that which moves or is moved. Driftwood included in flotsam washed up onto the beach.
Usage- Countable
- physical
- Uncountable
Movement; that which moves or is moved. A driving; a violent movement.
Usage- Countable
- Obsolete
- physical
- Uncountable
- Examples
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The dragon drew him [self] away with drift of his wings.
Movement; that which moves or is moved. Course or direction along which anything is driven; setting.
Usage- Countable
- physical
- Uncountable
- Examples
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Our drift was south.
Movement; that which moves or is moved. That which is driven, forced, or urged along.
Usage- Countable
- physical
- Uncountable
- Examples
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More examples (1)
The desert storm was riding in its strength; the travellers lay beneath the mastery of the fell simoom.[…]Drifts of yellow vapour, fiery, parching, stinging, filled the air.
The act or motion of drifting; the force which impels or drives; an overpowering influence or impulse.
Usage- Countable
- Uncountable
- Examples
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A bad man, being under the drift of any passion, will follow the impulse of it till something interpose.
A place (a ford) along a river where the water is shallow enough to permit crossing to the opposite side.
Usage- Countable
- Uncountable
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.
Usage- Countable
- Uncountable
- Examples
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The Gods defenders of the innocent, Will neuer proſper your intended driftes, That thus oppreſſe poore friendles paſſengers.
c. early 1700s, Joseph Addison, A Discourse on Ancient and Modern Learning He has made the drift of the whole poem a compliment on his country in general.
More examples (2)
Now thou knowest my drift.
Besides, you lack the brains to catch my drift. / If I explained you wouldn't understand.
The horizontal thrust or pressure of an arch or vault upon the abutments.
Usage- Countable
- Uncountable
A tool. 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.
Usage- Countable
- Uncountable
A tool. A tool used to pack down the composition contained in a rocket, or like firework.
Usage- Countable
- Uncountable
A tool. A tool used to insert or extract a removable pin made of metal or hardwood, for the purpose of aligning and/or securing two pieces of material together.
Usage- Countable
- Uncountable
A deviation from the line of fire, peculiar to obloid projectiles.
Usage- Countable
- Uncountable
Minor deviation of audio or video playback from its correct speed.
Usage- Uncountable
- Examples
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Reference sync servo system — permits minimal time-base error, assuring minimum jitter and drift.
The situation where a performer gradually and unintentionally moves from their proper location within the scene.
Usage- Uncountable
- Examples
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There is another form of drift when playing in a scene with other actors.
A passage driven or cut between shaft and shaft; a driftway; a small subterranean gallery.
Usage- Countable
- Uncountable
An adit or tunnel driven forward for purposes of exploration or exploitation; generally eventually to a dead end.
Usage- Countable
- Uncountable
A sloping winze or road to the surface, for purposes of haulage.
Usage- Countable
- Uncountable
In a coal mine, a heading driven for exploration or ventilation.
Usage- Countable
- Uncountable
Of a boring or a driven tunnel: deviation from the intended course.
Usage- Countable
- Uncountable
A heading driven through a seam of coal.
Usage- Countable
- Uncountable
Movement. The angle which the line of a ship's motion makes with the meridian, in drifting.
Usage- Countable
- Uncountable
Movement. The distance a vessel is carried off from her desired course by the wind, currents, or other causes.
Usage- Countable
- Uncountable
Movement. 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.
Usage- Countable
- Uncountable
Movement. The distance between the two blocks of a tackle.
Usage- Countable
- Uncountable
Movement. 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.
Usage- Countable
- Uncountable
A sideways movement of the ball through the air, when bowled by a spin bowler.
Usage- Countable
- Uncountable
- Synonyms
Slow, cumulative change.
Usage- Countable
- Uncountable
- Examples
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genetic drift
In the New Forest National Park, UK, the bi-annual round-up of wild ponies in order to sell them.
Usage- Countable
- Uncountable
Verb
To move slowly, especially pushed by currents of water, air, etc.
Usage- Intransitive
- Examples
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The boat drifted away from the shore.
The balloon was drifting in the breeze.
More examples (1)
One day I was out in the barn and he drifted in. I was currying the horse and he set down on the wheelbarrow and begun to ask questions.
To move haphazardly without any destination.
Usage- Intransitive
- Examples
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He drifted from town to town, never settling down.
To deviate gently from the intended direction of travel.
Usage- Intransitive
- Examples
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This car tends to drift left at high speeds.
More examples (1)
Midway through the half, Argentine Tevez did begin to drift inside in order to exert his influence but by this stage Mick McCarthy's side had gone 1-0 up and looked comfortable.
To drive or carry, as currents do a floating body.
Usage- Transitive
- Examples
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1865-1866, John Henry Newman, Apologia Pro Vita Sua I was drifted back first to the ante - Nicene history , and then to the Church of Alexandria
To drive into heaps.
Usage- Transitive
- Examples
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A current of wind drifts snow or sand
To accumulate in heaps by the force of wind; to be driven into heaps.
Usage- Intransitive
- Examples
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Snow or sand drifts.
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.
Usage- US usage
To enlarge or shape, as a hole, with a drift.
Usage- Transitive
To oversteer a vehicle, causing loss of traction, while maintaining control from entry to exit of a corner. See Drifting (motorsport).
Noun
a force that moves something along
- Broader terms
the gradual departure from an intended course due to external influences (as a ship or plane)
- Broader terms
a process of linguistic change over a period of time
- Broader terms
a large mass of material that is heaped up by the wind or by water currents
- Broader terms
a general tendency to change (as of opinion)
- Broader terms
- Examples
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not openly liberal but that is the trend of the book
a broad movement of the electorate to the right
the pervading meaning or tenor
- Synonyms
- Examples
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caught the general drift of the conversation
a horizontal (or nearly horizontal) passageway in a mine
- Broader terms
- Examples
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they dug a drift parallel with the vein
Verb
be in motion due to some air or water current
- Examples
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The leaves were blowing in the wind
the boat drifted on the lake
More examples (2)
The sailboat was adrift on the open sea
the shipwrecked boat drifted away from the shore
wander from a direct course or at random
- Examples
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The child strayed from the path and her parents lost sight of her
don't drift from the set course
move about aimlessly or without any destination, often in search of food or employment
- Examples
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The gypsies roamed the woods
roving vagabonds
More examples (4)
the wandering Jew
The cattle roam across the prairie
the laborers drift from one town to the next
They rolled from town to town
vary or move from a fixed point or course
- Broader terms
- Examples
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stock prices are drifting higher
live unhurriedly, irresponsibly, or freely
- Synonyms
- Examples
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My son drifted around for years in California before going to law school
move in an unhurried fashion
- Broader terms
- Examples
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The unknown young man drifted among the invited guests
cause to be carried by a current
- Broader terms
- Examples
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drift the boats downstream
drive slowly and far afield for grazing
- Examples
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drift the cattle herds westwards
be subject to fluctuation
- Broader terms
- Examples
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The stock market drifted upward
be piled up in banks or heaps by the force of wind or a current
- Broader terms
- Examples
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snow drifting several feet high
sand drifting like snow