drift /drɪft/
1. a force that moves something along
synset: drift, impetus, impulsion
2. the gradual departure from an intended course due to external influences (as a ship or plane)
synset: drift
3. a process of linguistic change over a period of time
synset: drift
4. a large mass of material that is heaped up by the wind or by water currents
synset: drift
5. 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"
synset: drift, trend, movement
6. the pervading meaning or tenor; "caught the general drift of the conversation"
7. a horizontal (or nearly horizontal) passageway in a mine; "they dug a drift parallel with the vein"
synset: drift, heading, gallery
1. 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"
synset: float, drift, be_adrift, blow
2. 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"
3. 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"
synset: roll, wander, swan, stray, tramp, roam, cast, ramble, rove, range, drift, vagabond
4. vary or move from a fixed point or course; "stock prices are drifting higher"
synset: drift
5. live unhurriedly, irresponsibly, or freely; "My son drifted around for years in California before going to law school"
6. move in an unhurried fashion; "The unknown young man drifted among the invited guests"
synset: drift
7. cause to be carried by a current; "drift the boats downstream"
synset: drift
8. drive slowly and far afield for grazing; "drift the cattle herds westwards"
synset: drift
9. be subject to fluctuation; "The stock market drifted upward"
synset: drift
10. be piled up in banks or heaps by the force of wind or a current; "snow drifting several feet high"; "sand drifting like snow"
synset: drift
Princeton University "About WordNet." WordNet. Princeton University. 2010.
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