drift (dr ft)v. drift·ed, drift·ing, drifts v.intr. 1. To be carried along by currents of air or water: a balloon drifting eastward; as the wreckage drifted toward shore. 2. To proceed or move unhurriedly and smoothly: drifting among the party guests. 3. To move leisurely or sporadically from place to place, especially without purpose or regular employment: a day laborer, drifting from town to town. 4. a. To wander from a set course or point of attention; stray. b. To vary from or oscillate randomly about a fixed setting, position, or mode of operation. 5. To be piled up in banks or heaps by the force of a current: snow drifting to five feet. v.tr. 1. To cause to be carried in a current: drifting the logs downstream. 2. To pile up in banks or heaps: Wind drifted the loose straw against the barn. 3. Western U.S. To drive (livestock) slowly or far afield, especially for grazing. n. 1. The act or condition of drifting. 2. Something moving along in a current of air or water. 3. A bank or pile, as of sand or snow, heaped up by currents of air or water. 4. Geology Rock debris transported and deposited by or from ice, especially by or from a glacier. 5. a. A general trend or tendency, as of opinion. See Synonyms at tendency. b. General meaning or purport; tenor: caught the drift of the conversation. 6. a. A gradual change in position. b. A gradual deviation from an original course, model, method, or intention. c. Variation or random oscillation about a fixed setting, position, or mode of behavior. 7. A gradual change in the output of a circuit or amplifier. 8. The rate of flow of a water current. 9. a. A tool for ramming or driving something down. b. A tapered steel pin for enlarging and aligning holes. 10. a. A horizontal or nearly horizontal passageway in a mine running through or parallel to a vein. b. A secondary mine passageway between two main shafts or tunnels. 11. A drove or herd, especially of swine. See Synonyms at flock1. [From Middle English, drove, herd, act of driving; see dhreibh- in Indo-European roots.] drift  y adj. |
drift [drɪft]
vb (mainly intr)
1. (also tr) to be carried along by or as if by currents of air or water or (of a current) to carry (a vessel, etc.) along
2. to move aimlessly from place to place or from one activity to another
3. to wander or move gradually away from a fixed course or point; stray
4. (Earth Sciences / Physical Geography) (also tr) (of snow, sand, etc.) to accumulate in heaps or banks or to drive (snow, sand, etc.) into heaps or banks
n
1. something piled up by the wind or current, such as a snowdrift
2. tendency, trend, meaning, or purport the drift of the argument
3. a state of indecision or inaction
4. (Mathematics & Measurements / Navigation) the extent to which a vessel, aircraft, projectile, etc. is driven off its course by adverse winds, tide, or current
5. (Earth Sciences / Physical Geography) a general tendency of surface ocean water to flow in the direction of the prevailing winds North Atlantic Drift
6. a driving movement, force, or influence; impulse
7. (Individual Sports & Recreations / Motor Racing) a controlled four-wheel skid, used by racing drivers to take bends at high speed
8. (Earth Sciences / Geological Science) a loose unstratified deposit of sand, gravel, etc., esp one transported and deposited by a glacier or ice sheet
9. (Mining & Quarrying) a horizontal passage in a mine that follows the mineral vein
10. (Life Sciences & Allied Applications / Agriculture) something, esp a group of animals, driven along by human or natural agencies a drift of cattle
11. (Engineering / Tools) Also called driftpin a tapering steel tool driven into holes to enlarge or align them before bolting or riveting
12. (Engineering / Electrical Engineering) an uncontrolled slow change in some operating characteristic of a piece of equipment, esp an electronic circuit or component
13. (Linguistics) Linguistics gradual change in a language, esp in so far as this is influenced by the internal structure of the language rather than by contact with other languages
14. (Social Science / Human Geography) South African a ford
15. (Engineering / General Engineering) Engineering a copper or brass bar used as a punch
[from Old Norse: snowdrift; related to Old High German trift pasturage]
drifty adj
Drift a number of animals driven or moving along in a body; a mass of matter driven forward. See also creaght, drive.
Examples: drift of anglers; of bees; of birds; of cattle, 1613; of dust, 1725; of fishers—Bk. of St. Albans, 1486; of fishing nets, 1834; of gold, 1645; of hogs; of ice; of lace, 1889; of leaves of trees, 1600; of men, 1450; of oxen, 1552; of piles, 1721; of quailes, 1613; of rain, 1300; of sand, 1634; of sheep, 1816; of smoke, 1842; of snow, 1300; of swans; of swine [tame]—Bk. of St. Albans, 1486; of wood [floating in the sea], 1627.
In ballistics, a shift in projectile direction due to gyroscopic action which results from gravitational and atmospherically induced torques on the spinning projectile.
ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
| Noun | 1. |  drift - a force that moves something along force - (physics) the influence that produces a change in a physical quantity; "force equals mass times acceleration" |
| 2. | drift - the gradual departure from an intended course due to external influences (as a ship or plane) aeroplane, airplane, plane - an aircraft that has a fixed wing and is powered by propellers or jets; "the flight was delayed due to trouble with the airplane" ship - a vessel that carries passengers or freight leeway - (of a ship or plane) sideways drift natural action, natural process, action, activity - a process existing in or produced by nature (rather than by the intent of human beings); "the action of natural forces"; "volcanic activity" | |
| 3. | drift - a process of linguistic change over a period of time melioration - the linguistic process in which over a period of time a word grows more positive in connotation or more elevated in meaning linguistic process - a process involved in human language | |
| 4. | drift - a large mass of material that is heaped up by the wind or by water currents drumlin - a mound of glacial drift mass - a body of matter without definite shape; "a huge ice mass" snowdrift - a mass of snow heaped up by the wind | |
| 5. | drift - 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" inclination, tendency, disposition - an attitude of mind especially one that favors one alternative over others; "he had an inclination to give up too easily"; "a tendency to be too strict" evolutionary trend - a general direction of evolutionary change gravitation - a figurative movement toward some attraction; "the gravitation of the middle class to the suburbs" | |
| 6. | drift - the pervading meaning or tenor; "caught the general drift of the conversation" | |
| 7. | drift - a horizontal (or nearly horizontal) passageway in a mine; "they dug a drift parallel with the vein" mining, excavation - the act of extracting ores or coal etc from the earth passageway - a passage between rooms or between buildings | |
| Verb | 1. | drift - 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" go, locomote, move, travel - change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically; "How fast does your new car go?"; "We travelled from Rome to Naples by bus"; "The policemen went from door to door looking for the suspect"; "The soldiers moved towards the city in an attempt to take it before night fell"; "news travelled fast" float - move lightly, as if suspended; "The dancer floated across the stage" waft - be driven or carried along, as by the air; "Sounds wafted into the room" tide - be carried with the tide drift - cause to be carried by a current; "drift the boats downstream" stream - to extend, wave or float outward, as if in the wind; "their manes streamed like stiff black pennants in the wind" |
| 2. | drift - 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" go, locomote, move, travel - change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically; "How fast does your new car go?"; "We travelled from Rome to Naples by bus"; "The policemen went from door to door looking for the suspect"; "The soldiers moved towards the city in an attempt to take it before night fell"; "news travelled fast" rove, stray, roam, vagabond, wander, swan, ramble, range, drift, tramp, cast, roll - 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" | |
| 3. |  drift - 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"go, locomote, move, travel - change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically; "How fast does your new car go?"; "We travelled from Rome to Naples by bus"; "The policemen went from door to door looking for the suspect"; "The soldiers moved towards the city in an attempt to take it before night fell"; "news travelled fast" maunder - wander aimlessly drift, err, stray - 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" wander - go via an indirect route or at no set pace; "After dinner, we wandered into town" | |
| 4. | drift - vary or move from a fixed point or course; "stock prices are drifting higher" drift - be subject to fluctuation; "The stock market drifted upward" vary - be subject to change in accordance with a variable; "Prices vary"; "His moods vary depending on the weather" | |
| 5. | drift - live unhurriedly, irresponsibly, or freely; "My son drifted around for years in California before going to law school" drift - move in an unhurried fashion; "The unknown young man drifted among the invited guests" | |
| 6. | drift - move in an unhurried fashion; "The unknown young man drifted among the invited guests" circulate - move around freely; "She circulates among royalty" | |
| 7. | drift - cause to be carried by a current; "drift the boats downstream" float - set afloat; "He floated the logs down the river"; "The boy floated his toy boat on the pond" | |
| 8. | drift - drive slowly and far afield for grazing; "drift the cattle herds westwards" | |
| 9. | drift - be subject to fluctuation; "The stock market drifted upward" change - undergo a change; become different in essence; losing one's or its original nature; "She changed completely as she grew older"; "The weather changed last night" drift - vary or move from a fixed point or course; "stock prices are drifting higher" | |
| 10. | drift - be piled up in banks or heaps by the force of wind or a current; "snow drifting several feet high"; "sand drifting like snow" amass, conglomerate, cumulate, pile up, accumulate, gather - collect or gather; "Journals are accumulating in my office"; "The work keeps piling up" |
drift
verb
1. float, go (aimlessly), bob, coast, slip, sail, slide, glide, meander, waft, be carried along, move gently We proceeded to drift along the river.
2. wander, stroll, stray, roam, meander, rove, range, straggle, traipse (informal), stravaig (Scot. & Northern English dialect), peregrinate People drifted around the room.
noun
1. shift, movement, flow, transfer, relocation, gravitation the drift towards the cities
3. meaning, point, gist, aim, direction, object, import, intention, implication, tendency, significance, thrust, tenor, purport She was beginning to get his drift.
Translations
drift [drɪft]
A. N
1. (= deviation from course) → deriva f; (= movement) → movimiento m; (= change of direction) → cambio m (de dirección)
the drift to the city → el movimiento migratorio hacia la ciudad
the drift from the land → el éxodo rural, la despoblación del campo
the drift of events → la marcha de los acontecimientos
the drift to the city → el movimiento migratorio hacia la ciudad
the drift from the land → el éxodo rural, la despoblación del campo
the drift of events → la marcha de los acontecimientos
2. (= meaning) [of questions] → significado m
to catch sb's drift → seguir or entender a algn
I don't get your drift → no te entiendo
to catch sb's drift → seguir or entender a algn
I don't get your drift → no te entiendo
3. (= mass) [of snow] → ventisquero m; [of sand] → montón m; [of clouds, leaves] → banco m (Geol) → morrena f
continental drift → deriva f continental
continental drift → deriva f continental
B. VI
1. (in wind, current) → dejarse llevar, ir a la deriva; (= be off course) [boat] → ir a la deriva; [person] → vagar, ir a la deriva
to drift downstream → dejarse llevar río abajo
he drifted into marriage → se casó sin pensárselo
to let things drift → dejar las cosas como están
to drift from job to job → cambiar a menudo de trabajo sin propósito fijo
to drift downstream → dejarse llevar río abajo
he drifted into marriage → se casó sin pensárselo
to let things drift → dejar las cosas como están
to drift from job to job → cambiar a menudo de trabajo sin propósito fijo
2. [snow, sand] → amontonarse
drift apart VI + ADV → irse separando poco a poco
drift away VI + ADV → dejarse llevar por la corriente
drift off VI + ADV (= doze off) → dormirse, quedarse dormido
drift [ˈdrɪft]
n
[current] → force f
[sand] → amoncellement m
[snow] (on ground) → congère f snow drift
(= movement of people) → mouvement m
vi
(= move with the current) [boat] → aller à la dérive, dériver; [sailor] → être emporté(e) par le courant
to drift somewhere → dériver quelque part
to let things drift (fig) (= fail to control) → laisser les choses aller à la dérive
to drift somewhere → dériver quelque part
to let things drift (fig) (= fail to control) → laisser les choses aller à la dérive
(= move with the wind) [mist] → être poussé(e) par le vent; [balloon] → être poussé(e) par le vent
(= pile up) [sand, snow] → s'amonceler, s'entasser
to drift off to sleep → se laisser gagner par le sommeil
drift apart
vi (= become estranged) [friends, lovers] → s'éloigner l'un de l'autredrift away
vi (= disperse) [crowd, people] → se disperserdrift into
vt fus (= become involved in without planning) [+ crime, prostitution] → sombrer peu à peu dansdrift off
vi (= fall asleep) → s'assoupirto drift off to sleep → se laisser gagner par le sommeil
drift
drift:
vi
(Naut, Aviat, snow) → treiben; (sand) → wehen; (Rad) → verschwimmen; to drift off course → abtreiben; rally drivers have a technique of drifting round corners → Rallyefahrer haben eine Technik, sich durch Kurven tragen zu lassen
(fig, person) → sich treiben lassen; to let things drift → die Dinge treiben lassen; he drifted into marriage/crime → er schlitterte in die Ehe/in eine kriminelle Laufbahn hinein (inf); he drifted from job to job → er ließ sich planlos von Job zu Job treiben; he was drifting aimlessly along (in life etc) → er lebte planlos in den Tag hinein, er ließ sich plan- und ziellos treiben; the nation was drifting toward(s) a crisis → das Land trieb auf eine Krise zu; young people are drifting away from the villages → junge Leute wandern aus den Dörfern ab; to drift apart (people) → sich auseinanderleben; we’re drifting apart → wir leben uns immer mehr auseinander; the audience started drifting away → das Publikum begann wegzugehen
n
(of air, water current) → Strömung f; the drift of the current (speed) → die (Stärke der) Strömung; (direction) → die Strömung(srichtung)
(of ship, aircraft) → (Ab)drift f, → Abweichung f; to allow for drift → Abdriften or Abweichungen (mit) einkalkulieren
(= tendency) the drift towards the cities → der Drang in die Städte; the drift of policy away from this reform → das grundsätzliche Abrücken von dieser Reform; the drift of support away from him → die nachlassende Unterstützung für ihn
(= general meaning: of questions) → Richtung f, → Tendenz f; I caught the drift of what he said → ich verstand, worauf er hinauswollte; if you get my drift → wenn Sie mich richtig verstehen
(Ling) → Tendenz f
drift:
drift net
n → Treibnetz nt
drift sand
n → Treibsand m
driftwood
n → Treibholz nt
drift [drɪft]
drift [drɪft]
1. n
a. (direction, of current) → direzione f; (of events) → corso; (of conversation, opinion) → tendenza
c. (loss of direction) → deriva
2. vi (in wind, current) → andare alla deriva; (clouds) → essere sospinto/a dal vento; (boat) → essere trasportato/a dalla corrente; (sand, snow) → accumularsi, ammucchiarsi; (person) → vagare; (events) to drift (towards) → scivolare (verso)
to drift downstream → venir portato/a a valle dalla corrente
he drifted into marriage → ha finito con lo sposarsi
to let things drift → lasciare che le cose vadano come vogliono
to drift apart (friends) → perdersi di vista (lovers) → allontanarsi l'uno dall'altro
to drift downstream → venir portato/a a valle dalla corrente
he drifted into marriage → ha finito con lo sposarsi
to let things drift → lasciare che le cose vadano come vogliono
to drift apart (friends) → perdersi di vista (lovers) → allontanarsi l'uno dall'altro
drift [drɪft]
1. n
a. (direction, of current) → direzione f; (of events) → corso; (of conversation, opinion) → tendenza
c. (loss of direction) → deriva
2. vi (in wind, current) → andare alla deriva; (clouds) → essere sospinto/a dal vento; (boat) → essere trasportato/a dalla corrente; (sand, snow) → accumularsi, ammucchiarsi; (person) → vagare; (events) to drift (towards) → scivolare (verso)
to drift downstream → venir portato/a a valle dalla corrente
he drifted into marriage → ha finito con lo sposarsi
to let things drift → lasciare che le cose vadano come vogliono
to drift apart (friends) → perdersi di vista (lovers) → allontanarsi l'uno dall'altro
to drift downstream → venir portato/a a valle dalla corrente
he drifted into marriage → ha finito con lo sposarsi
to let things drift → lasciare che le cose vadano come vogliono
to drift apart (friends) → perdersi di vista (lovers) → allontanarsi l'uno dall'altro
n drift [drift]
1 a heap of something driven together, especially snow His car stuck in a snowdrift. opeenhoping, massa رُكام، إنْجِراف преспа závěj drive; snedrive das Treiben παρασυρόμενη μάζα montón hang, hunnik توده؛ پشته kinos amoncellement, congère הִיסַחֲפוּת बहाव nanos, hrpa förgeteg; hófúvás tumpukan skafl mucchio, cumulo 吹きだまり 표는 하는 덩어리 sąnaša, pusnis (sniega) kupena; (lapu) kaudze tompokkan opeenhoping haug, snødrive zaspa monte morman, grămadă куча; сугроб závej kup smet driva กอง yığın, birikinti 吹積物 замет, кучугура برف یا ریت کا جمع کردہ ڈھیر đống 吹积物
2 the direction in which something is going; the general meaning I couldn't hear you clearly, but I did catch the drift of what you said. koers, neiging إتِّجاه، مَعْنى направление smysl mening die Richtung τροπή, νόημα sentido mõttekäik مفهوم سخن perusajatus sens (général) כַּווַנָה बहाव की दिशा smjeranje, nakana irány(zat) arti umum hugsanagangur, merking senso 流れの方向 취지 esmė, kryptis (notikumu) ievirze; (domu) gaita makna kasar strekking mening, tendens, tankegang sens, tok teor idee (generală) смысл zmysel smer; pomen smisao tendens, riktning, tankegång, innebörd เส้นทาง; ความหมาย anlam, maksat 大意，要旨 напрям, спрямованість بات کا مقصد nội dung 大意，要旨
v
1 to (cause to) float or be blown along Sand drifted across the road; The boat drifted down the river. dryf يَنْجَرِف، يَنْساق . нося (се) být navátý, být unášen drive treiben παρασέρνω, παρασέρνομαι dejarse llevar, moverse empujado ajama, ajuma به حرکت درآمدن ajelehtia dériver, être emporté לְהִיסָחֵף बह जाना biti nošen strujom úszik, lebeg hanyut reka; fjúka trasportare, lasciarsi trasportare 漂流する 표류하다 plaukti/nešti pasroviui sanest; sadzīt (smiltis u.tml.); peldēt (pa straumi) hanyut meedrijven, bedekken drive, fyke nawiać, dryfować ser levado a fi purtat de vânt/de curent, a aluneca относить течением; наметать ветром naviať; unášať biti gnan; nositi biti nošen driva ล่องลอย yığılmak, birikmek, sürüklenmek 漂流 наносити بہنا یا بہا لے جانا trôi dạt 漂流
2 (of people) to wander or live aimlessly She drifted from job to job. swerf يَسيرُ على غَيْر هُدى، يَتَنَقَّلُ оставям се на съдбата těkat, přecházet flakke sich treiben lassen περιπλανιέμαι vagar, ir sin rumbo, ir a la deriva rändurielu elama سرگردان بودن ajelehtia flâner, aller à la dérive לְשוֹטֵט, לִנדוֹד मटरगश्ती करना lutati, živjeti bez cilja sodródik berpindah-pindah láta reka á reiðanum, slæpast spostarsi 放浪する 방황하다 plaukti pasroviui, bastytis ļauties pašplūsmai berpindah-pindah zich doelloos voortbewegen gå og drive, slentre, slenge nie móc długo zagrzać gdzieś miejsca, krążyć vaguear a se lăsa în voia sorţii дрейфовать prechádzať tavati lutati driva vind för våg, ströva, vandra ระหกระเหิน sürüklenmek, gayesiz dolaşmak 遊盪 пливти за течією بغیر مقصد بھٹکنا phó mặc cho số phận 游荡
n drifter
1 a fishing-boat that uses a net which floats near the surface of the water. dryfnetboot قارِب صَيْد дрифтер logr drivgarnskutter das Treibnetz-Fischerboot ανεμότρατα trainera triivpüügilaev قایق ماهیگیری kalastusalus drifter סִירָת מִכמוֹרֶת मछली पकड़ने वाली एक नौका ribarski brod sa mrežom potegačom húzóhálós halászcsónak perahu nelayan (rekneta)veiðibátur/-skip peschereccio con rete a deriva 流し網漁船 유망(流網)어선 drifteris drifters perahu nelayan drijfnetvisser drivgarnsfisker kuter z wleczką sieci barco pesqueiro barcă de pescuit дрифтер logger ribiška ladja ribarski čamac båt för drivgarnsfiske เรือตกปลา ağ çeken balıkçı gemisi 漂網漁船 дрифтер مچھلی کے رواں جال کے ساتھ شکار کرنے کی کشتی thuyền đánh cá 漂网渔船
2 a person who drifts. swerwer شَخْص مُنْجَرِف непостоянен човек tulák, ztroskotanec dagdriver ziellose Person άνθρωπος ανερμάτιστος, που παρασύρεται από 'δω κι από κει vagabundo, trotamundos vagabund آدم سرگردان ajelehtija personne qui se laisse aller נָוָוד घुमक्कड़ lutalica sodródó ember pengembara slæpingi, flækingur persona che va alla deriva 放浪者 표류자 bastūnas, valkata klaidonis pengembara zwerver dagdriver, landstryker włóczęga vagabundo hoinar летун; перекати-поле tulák, stroskotanec neodločnež skitnica kringdrivande person, vagabond คนระหกระเหิน avare, başıboş 流浪者 бродяга آوارہ گرد آدمی người lang bạt 流浪者
n driftwood
wood floating on or cast up on the shore by the sea We made a fire with driftwood. dryfhout خَشَب الشاطِئ плавей naplavené dříví drivtømmer das Treibholz επιπλέοντα ξύλα madera flotante ajupuit چوب آب آورده ajopuu bois flotté גִזְרֵי עֵץ נִסחָפִים बह कर आई लकड़ी naplavine drveta uszadékfa kayu hanyut rekaviður legname galleggiante 流木 유목(流木) išmesti į krantą rąstgaliai/medžiai/nuolaužos krastā izsviesti koki kayu hanyut drijfhout drivved, rekved drzewo wyrzucone na brzeg lub pływające w wodzie madeiro lemn plutitor плавник naplavené drevo plavni les nasukano drvo drivved ไม้ที่ลอยมาเกยฝั่ง suyun süreklediği odun parçaları 浮木 сплавний ліс آب آورد یا باد آورد لکڑی củi rều 浮木
drift → جرف, يَنْجَرِف být unášen, závěj drive treiben, Verwehung μετατόπιση, περιφέρομαι ir a la deriva, sentido ajelehtia, kinos dérive, dériver biti nošen, nanos andare alla deriva, cumulo 押し流されるもの, 漂流する 떠돌다, 표류 afdrijven, afwijking drive dryft, zanieść z prądem coisa flutuante, ser levado pela corrente, ser levado pela correnteza дрейф, дрейфовать drift, driva เร่ร่อน, กองดิน birikinti, sürüklenmek sự trôi dạt, trôi dạt 漂流
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