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1. Dictionary

   drift

   /drɪft/

   verb

   • 1. be carried slowly by a current of air or water: "the cabin cruiser started to drift downstream" Similar be carriedbe carried (away/along)be bornebe waftedfloatbobmove slowlygo with the currentcoastmeander
   • ▪ walk slowly, aimlessly, or casually: "people began to drift away"
   • ▪ move passively, aimlessly, or involuntarily into a certain situation or condition: "I've just drifted into things because they were offered to me and they seemed like fun"
   • ▪ (of a person or their attention) digress or stray to another subject: "I noticed my audience's attention drifting" Similar straydigressdepartdivergeveerswervedeviateget sidetrackedrare:divagate
   • 2. (especially of snow or leaves) be blown into heaps by the wind: "fallen leaves were starting to drift in the gutters" Similar pile upbank upheap upaccumulategatherform heaps/driftsamass

   noun

   • 1. a continuous slow movement from one place to another: "there was a drift to the towns" Similar movementshiftflowtransfertransferralrelocationgravitation
   • ▪ the deviation of a vessel, aircraft, or projectile from its intended or expected course as the result of currents or winds: "the pilot had not noticed any appreciable drift" Similar deviationdigressionveeringstraying
   • ▪ a steady movement or development from one thing towards another that is perceived as unwelcome: "the drift towards a more market-oriented system of higher education"
   • ▪ a state of inaction or indecision: "after so much drift, any expression of enthusiasm is welcome"
   • ▪ a controlled skid, used in taking bends at high speeds.
   • 2. the general intention or meaning of an argument or someone's remarks: "maybe I'm too close to the forest to see the trees, if you catch my drift" Similar gistessencecoremeaningsensethesissubstancesignificancesignificationthrustimportpurporttenorveinspiritimplicationintentiondirectioncoursetendencytrend
   • 3. a large mass of snow, leaves, or other material piled up or carried along by the wind: "four sheep were dug out of the drift" Similar pileheapbankmoundmassaccumulationduneridge
   • ▪ glacial and fluvioglacial deposits left by retreating ice sheets.
   • ▪ a large spread of flowering plants growing together: "a drift of daffodils"
   • 4. a horizontal or inclined passage following a mineral vein or coal seam: "the drift led to another smaller ore chamber"
   • 5. an act of driving cattle or sheep. historical British
   • ▪ an act of herding cattle within a forest to a particular place on an appointed day in order to determine ownership or to levy fines.
   • 6. a ford. South African

   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’, and (in drift (sense 6 of the noun)) South African Dutch drift ‘ford’; related to drive.

   Derivatives

   • 1. drifty adjective

   Scrabble Points: 9

   • D

     2

   • R

     1

   • I

     1

   • F

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   • T

     1

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2. www.merriam-webster.com › dictionary › driftDrift Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster

   www.merriam-webster.com › dictionary › drift

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   Learn the various meanings and uses of the word drift as a noun and a verb, with synonyms, examples, and etymology. Find out how drift can refer to a current, a tendency, a skid, a mine passage, and more.

3. dictionary.cambridge.org › dictionary › englishDRIFT | English meaning - Cambridge Dictionary

   dictionary.cambridge.org › dictionary › english

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   Learn the meaning of drift as a verb, noun, and idiom in English. Find out how to use drift in different contexts, such as sports, finance, and weather, with examples and synonyms.

4. Videos

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     The Physics Of Drifting, Explained

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     What is Drifting - Explained

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     Drift Velocity and Mobility - Physics Animation

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5. www.collinsdictionary.com › dictionary › englishDRIFT definition and meaning | Collins English Dictionary

   www.collinsdictionary.com › dictionary › english

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   A drift is the degree to which a wellbore is not vertical. The drift is the inclination of the wellbore from the vertical at the point of reference. The extent to which the wellbore deviates from a truly vertical line is commonly called the drift of the well.

6. www.thefreedictionary.com › driftDrift - definition of drift by The Free Dictionary

   www.thefreedictionary.com › drift

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   Drift can mean to move aimlessly, to vary randomly, or to pile up by a current. It can also refer to a current, a trend, a tool, or a passageway. See different meanings and usage of drift in various contexts.

   Noun	1.
   2.	drift - the gradual departure from an ...
   3.	drift - a process of linguistic change ...
   4.	drift - a large mass of material that is ...
   5.	drift - a general tendency to change (as ...

   See full list on thefreedictionary.com

7. www.vocabulary.com › dictionary › driftDrift - Definition, Meaning & Synonyms - Vocabulary.com

   www.vocabulary.com › dictionary › drift

   drift. If you get my drift, you get the basic meaning of what I'm saying. Or, if you move around without a seeming fixed destination, you are said to drift — whether you're a snowflake or just a wanderer. Interestingly, the verb to drift can be used either approvingly or disapprovingly.

8. www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com › definitiondrift verb - Definition, pictures, pronunciation and usage ...

   www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com › definition

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   Definition of drift verb in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more.

9. People also ask

   What does it mean to drift somewhere?

   • To drift somewhere means to move there slowly or gradually. As rural factories shed labour, people drift towards the cities. [VERB preposition] If sounds drift somewhere, they can be heard but they are not very loud. Voices drifted to him across the car park. [VERB preposition/adverb]

   DRIFT definition and meaning | Collins English Dictionary

   www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/drift

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   What does drifting mean?

   • 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 or aimlessly: drifting among the party guests; a day laborer, drifting from town to town. 3.

   Drift - definition of drift by The Free Dictionary

   www.thefreedictionary.com/drift

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   What is drift verb?

   • Definition of drift verb from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary [intransitive] (+ adv./prep.) to move along smoothly and slowly in water or air Clouds drifted across the sky. The empty boat drifted out to sea. A cool breeze drifted through the open window. Smoke drifted across the room.

   drift verb - Definition, pictures, pronunciation and usage notes

   www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/drift_1

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   What is a drift of a well?

   • A drift is the degree to which a wellbore is not vertical. The drift is the inclination of the wellbore from the vertical at the point of reference. The extent to which the wellbore deviates from a truly vertical line is commonly called the drift of the well. A drift is the degree to which a wellbore is not vertical.

   DRIFT definition and meaning | Collins English Dictionary

   www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/drift

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   What is drift in oil & gas?

   • The drift is the inclination of the wellbore from the vertical at the point of reference. The extent to which the wellbore deviates from a truly vertical line is commonly called the drift of the well. A drift is the degree to which a wellbore is not vertical. Collins COBUILD Key Words for the Oil and Gas Industry.

   DRIFT definition and meaning | Collins English Dictionary

   www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/drift

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   What is a snow drift?

   • A drift is a mass of snow that has built up into a pile as a result of the movement of wind. ...a nine-foot snow drift. A drift of something is an amount of it that has been created by the movement of wind or water. There was a drift of smoke above the trees. The drift of an argument or speech is the general point that is being made in it.

   DRIFT definition and meaning | Collins English Dictionary

   www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/drift

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10. dictionary.cambridge.org › learner-english › driftDRIFT | meaning - Cambridge Learner's Dictionary

    dictionary.cambridge.org › learner-english › drift

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    Drift can be a verb or a noun with different meanings. As a verb, it can mean to move slowly by wind or water, to get into a situation without plan, or to understand the general meaning. As a noun, it can mean a slow movement or a pile of snow or leaves.