/ drɪft; NAmE / noun , verb
■ noun
SLOW MOVEMENT
1.
[ sing. , U ] a slow steady movement from one place to another; a gradual change or development from one situation to another, especially to sth bad :
a population drift away from rural areas
attempts to halt the drift towards war
OF SHIP
2.
[ U ] the movement of a ship or plane away from its direction because of currents or wind
OF SEA / AIR
3.
[ U , C ] the movement of the sea or air
SYN current :
the general direction of drift on the east coast
He knew the hidden drifts in that part of the river.
OF SNOW
4.
[ C ] a large pile of sth, especially snow, made by the wind :
The road was blocked by deep drifts of snow.
—see also snowdrift
OF FLOWERS
5.
[ C ] a large mass of sth, especially flowers :
Plant daffodils in informal drifts.
MEANING
6.
[ sing. ] the general meaning of what sb says or writes
SYN gist :
Do you catch my drift ?
My German isn't very good, but I got the drift of what she said.
—see also continental drift
■ verb
MOVE SLOWLY
1.
[ v , usually + adv. / prep. ] to move along smoothly and slowly in water or air :
Clouds drifted across the sky.
The empty boat drifted out to sea.
2.
[ v + adv. / prep. ] to move or go somewhere slowly :
The crowd drifted away from the scene of the accident.
Her gaze drifted around the room.
WITHOUT PURPOSE
3.
[ v , usually + adv. / prep. ] to happen or change, or to do sth without a particular plan or purpose :
I didn't intend to be a teacher—I just drifted into it.
He hasn't decided what to do yet—he's just drifting.
The conversation drifted onto politics.
INTO STATE / SITUATION
4.
[ v ] drift in / into sth to go from one situation or state to another without realizing it :
Finally she drifted into sleep.
The injured man tried to speak but soon drifted into unconsciousness.
OF SNOW / SAND
5.
[ v ] to be blown into large piles by the wind :
drifting sand
Some roads are closed because of drifting.
FLOAT
6.
[ vn ] to make sth float somewhere :
The logs are drifted downstream to the mill.
•
PHRASAL VERBS
- drift apart
- drift off (to sleep)
••
WORD ORIGIN
Middle English (in the sense mass of snow, leaves, etc. ): originally from Old Norse drift snowdrift, something driven; in later use from Middle Dutch drift course, current.