I. ˈdrift noun
Etymology: Middle English; akin to Old English drīfan to drive — more at drive
Date: 14th century
1.
a. : the act of driving something along
b. : the flow or the velocity of the current of a river or ocean stream
2. : something driven, propelled, or urged along or drawn together in a clump by or as if by a natural agency: as
a. : wind-driven snow, rain, cloud, dust, or smoke usually at or near the ground surface
b.
(1) : a mass of matter (as sand) deposited together by or as if by wind or water
(2) : a helter-skelter accumulation
c. : drove , flock
d. : something (as driftwood) washed ashore
e. : rock debris deposited by natural agents ; specifically : a deposit of clay, sand, gravel, and boulders transported by a glacier or by running water from a glacier
3.
a. : a general underlying design or tendency
perceiving the drift of the government's policies
b. : the underlying meaning, import, or purport of what is spoken or written
the drift of a conversation
4. : something (as a tool) driven down upon or forced into a body
5. : the motion or action of drifting especially spatially and usually under external influence: as
a. : the lateral motion of an aircraft due to air currents
b. : an easy moderate more or less steady flow or sweep along a spatial course
c. : a gradual shift in attitude, opinion, or position
d. : an aimless course ; especially : a foregoing of any attempt at direction or control
e. : a deviation from a true reproduction, representation, or reading ; especially : a gradual change in the zero reading of an instrument or in any quantitative characteristic that is supposed to remain constant
6.
a. : a nearly horizontal mine passageway driven on or parallel to the course of a vein or rock stratum
b. : a small crosscut in a mine connecting two larger tunnels
7.
a. : an assumed trend toward a general change in the structure of a language over a period of time
b. : genetic drift
8. : a mass of planted flowers
Synonyms: see tendency
• drifty ˈdrif-tē adjective
II. verb
Date: circa 1600
intransitive verb
1.
a. : to become driven or carried along (as by a current of water, wind, or air)
a balloon drift ing in the wind
b. : to move or float smoothly and effortlessly
2.
a. : to move along a line of least resistance
b. : to move in a random or casual way
c. : to become carried along subject to no guidance or control
the talk drift ed from topic to topic
3.
a. : to accumulate in a mass or become piled up in heaps by wind or water
drift ing snow
b. : to become covered with a drift
4. : to vary or deviate from a set course or adjustment
transitive verb
1.
a. : to cause to be driven in a current
b. West : to drive (livestock) slowly especially to allow grazing
2.
a. : to pile in heaps
b. : to cover with drifts
• drift·ing·ly ˈdrif-tiŋ-lē adverb