drift

plural drifts

1. Movement; that which moves or is moved.
   1. countablephysicaluncountableAnything driven at random.

      Some log perhaps upon the waters swam, a useless drift.

      1667, John Dryden, Annus Mirabilis: The Year of Wonders, 1666. […], London: […] Henry Herringman, […], →OCLC, (please specify the stanza number)

   2. countablephysicaluncountableA mass of matter which has been driven or forced onward together in a body, or thrown together in a heap, etc., especially by wind or water.

      a drift of snow, of ice, of sand, of plants, etc.

      4 more examples

      Drifts of rising dust involve the sky.

      1725, Homer, “Book VIII”, in [William Broome], transl., The Odyssey of Homer. […], volume II, London: […] Bernard Lintot, →OCLC

      We […] got the brig a good bed in the rushing drift [of ice].

      1855, Elisha Kent Kane, Arctic explorations: The second Grinnell expedition in search of Sir John Franklin

      Many of these ground-layer plants were placed in naturalistic drifts to make it appear as if they were sowing themselves.

      2012, David L. Culp, The Layered Garden: Design Lessons for Year-Round Beauty from Brandywine Cottage, Timber Press, page 168

      "During the winter, we get really bad snow conditions. We can go to eight inches of snow above the railhead, then the trains are stopped. It's usually more like four inches, but you get big drifts up towards Rannoch.

      2023 November 29, Paul Clifton, “West is best in the Highlands”, in RAIL, number 997, page 39

   3. countablephysicaluncountableThe distance through which a current flows in a given time.
   4. collectivecountablephysicaluncountableagricultureThe animals being moved in a drive, as of cattle, goats, horses, pigs or sheep.

      ...traveling slowly, like a drift of horses

      2011, Barry Lopez, Light Action in the Caribbean, Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group

      2 more examples

      cattle coming over the bridge (with their great drifts doing much damage to the high ways)

      1655, Thomas Fuller, The History of the University of Cambridge, since the Conquest, [London]: [[…] Iohn Williams […]], →OCLC

      Mind yourselves below; there's a drift of sheep coming down the road

      1912, John M Synge, The Works of John M Synge, At a Wicklow Fair, page 38

      Synonyms: drove

   5. collectivecountablephysicaluncountableA group of birds moving together.

      A drift of geese rose over the bank.

      2023, Sue Hubbard, Flatlands, Steerforth Press, page 213

      2 more examples

      a drift of ducks waddled in panic from her bare feet

      2014, George Mackay Brown, Hawkfall, John Murray Press

      a drift of birds, wheeling flashing their white underwings

      1983, Graham Greene, The Man Within, Penguin Books

      Synonyms: flock

   6. countablephysicaluncountableA collection of loose earth and rocks, or boulders, which have been distributed over large portions of the earth's surface, especially in latitudes north of forty degrees, by the retreat of continental glaciers, such as that which buries former river valleys and creates young river valleys.

      It is there seen that at a distance from the valleys of streams, the old glacial drift usually comes to the surface, and often rises into considerable eminences.

      1867, E. Andrews, "Observations on the Glacial Drift beneath the bed of Lake Michigan," American Journal of Science and Arts, vol. 43, nos. 127-129, page 75

   7. countablephysicalA collection of logs floating down a river.
   8. countablephysicaluncountableDriftwood included in flotsam washed up onto the beach.
   9. countableobsoletephysicaluncountableA driving; a violent movement.

      The dragon drew him [self] away with drift of his wings.

      1332, author unknown, King Alisaunder

   10. countablephysicaluncountableCourse or direction along which anything is driven; setting.

       Our drift was south.

       1589, Richard Hakluyt, The Principall Navigations, Voiages, and Discoveries of the English Nation, […], London: […] George Bishop and Ralph Newberie, deputies to Christopher Barker, […], →OCLC

   11. countablephysicaluncountableThat which is driven, forced, or urged along.

       The desert storm was riding in its strength; the travellers lay beneath the mastery of the fell simoom.[…]Drifts of yellow vapour, fiery, parching, stinging, filled the air.

       1892, James Yoxall, chapter 5, in The Lonely Pyramid

2. countableuncountableThe act or motion of drifting; the force which impels or drives; an overpowering influence or impulse.

   A bad man, being under the drift of any passion, will follow the impulse of it till something interpose.

   1678, Robert South, Prevention of Sin an unvaluable Mercy, sermon preached at Christ-Church, Oxon on November 10, 1678

3. countableuncountableA place (a ford) along a river where the water is shallow enough to permit crossing to the opposite side.
4. countableuncountableThe tendency of an act, argument, course of conduct, or the like; object aimed at or intended; intention; hence, also, import or meaning of a sentence or discourse; aim.

   c. early 1700s, Joseph Addison, A Discourse on Ancient and Modern Learning He has made the drift of the whole poem a compliment on his country in general.

   3 more examples

   The Gods defenders of the innocent, Will neuer proſper your intended driftes, That thus oppreſſe poore friendles paſſengers.

   c. 1587–1588 (date written), [Christopher Marlowe], Tamburlaine the Great. […] The First Part […], 2nd edition, part 1, London: […] [R. Robinson for] Richard Iones, […], published 1592, →OCLC; reprinted as Tamburlaine the Great (A Scolar Press Facsimile), Menston, Yorkshire; London: Scolar Press, 1973, →ISBN, Act I, scene ii

   Now thou knowest my drift.

   1819 December 20 (indicated as 1820), Walter Scott, Ivanhoe; a Romance. […], volume (please specify |volume=I to III), Edinburgh: […] Archibald Constable and Co.; London: Hurst, Robinson, and Co. […], →OCLC

   Besides, you lack the brains to catch my drift. / If I explained you wouldn't understand.

   1951, Geoffrey Chaucer, translated by Nevill Coghill, The Canterbury Tales: Translated into Modern English (Penguin Classics), Penguin Books, published 1977, page 216

5. countableuncountablearchitectureThe horizontal thrust or pressure of an arch or vault upon the abutments.
6. A tool.
   1. countableuncountablehandiworkA slightly tapered tool of steel for enlarging or shaping a hole in metal, by being forced or driven into or through it; a broach.
   2. countableuncountablehandiworkA tool used to pack down the composition contained in a rocket, or like firework.
   3. countableuncountablehandiworkA tool used to insert or extract a removable pin made of metal or hardwood, for the purpose of aligning and/or securing two pieces of material together.
7. countableuncountableA deviation from the line of fire, peculiar to obloid projectiles.
8. uncountableMinor deviation of audio or video playback from its correct speed.

   Reference sync servo system — permits minimal time-base error, assuring minimum jitter and drift.

   1975, Broadcast Management/engineering, volume 11

9. uncountablebroadcastingThe situation where a performer gradually and unintentionally moves from their proper location within the scene.

   There is another form of drift when playing in a scene with other actors.

   1970, Michael Pate, The Film Actor: Acting for Motion Pictures and Television, page 64

10. countableuncountablebusinessA passage driven or cut between shaft and shaft; a driftway; a small subterranean gallery.
11. countableuncountablebusinessAn adit or tunnel driven forward for purposes of exploration or exploitation; generally eventually to a dead end.
12. countableuncountablebusinessA sloping winze or road to the surface, for purposes of haulage.
13. countableuncountablebusinessIn a coal mine, a heading driven for exploration or ventilation.
14. countableuncountablebusinessOf a boring or a driven tunnel: deviation from the intended course.
15. countableuncountablebusinessA heading driven through a seam of coal.
16. Movement.
    1. countableuncountablenauticalThe angle which the line of a ship's motion makes with the meridian, in drifting.
    2. countableuncountablenauticalThe distance a vessel is carried off from her desired course by the wind, currents, or other causes.
    3. countableuncountablenauticalThe place in a deep-waisted vessel where the sheer is raised and the rail is cut off, and usually terminated with a scroll, or driftpiece.
    4. countableuncountablenauticalThe distance between the two blocks of a tackle.
    5. countableuncountablenauticalThe difference between the size of a bolt and the hole into which it is driven, or between the circumference of a hoop and that of the mast on which it is to be driven.
17. countableuncountableball gamesA sideways movement of the ball through the air, when bowled by a spin bowler.

    Synonyms: swerve

18. countableuncountableSlow, cumulative change.

    genetic drift

19. countableuncountableIn the New Forest National Park, UK, the bi-annual round-up of wild ponies in order to sell them.

present singular third person drifts · participle present drifting · participle past drifted · past drifted

1. intransitiveTo move slowly, especially pushed by currents of water, air, etc.

   The boat drifted away from the shore.

   2 more examples

   The balloon was drifting in the breeze.

   One day I was out in the barn and he drifted in. I was currying the horse and he set down on the wheelbarrow and begun to ask questions.

   1913, Joseph C[rosby] Lincoln, chapter XI, in Mr. Pratt’s Patients, New York, N.Y.; London: D[aniel] Appleton and Company, →OCLC

2. intransitiveTo move haphazardly without any destination.

   He drifted from town to town, never settling down.

3. intransitiveTo deviate gently from the intended direction of travel.

   This car tends to drift left at high speeds.

   1 more example

   Midway through the half, Argentine Tevez did begin to drift inside in order to exert his influence but by this stage Mick McCarthy's side had gone 1-0 up and looked comfortable.

   2011 January 15, Saj Chowdhury, “Man City 4-3 Wolves”, in BBC

4. transitiveTo drive or carry, as currents do a floating body.

   1865-1866, John Henry Newman, Apologia Pro Vita Sua I was drifted back first to the ante - Nicene history , and then to the Church of Alexandria

5. transitiveTo drive into heaps.

   A current of wind drifts snow or sand

6. intransitiveTo accumulate in heaps by the force of wind; to be driven into heaps.

   Snow or sand drifts.

7. USbusinessTo make a drift; to examine a vein or ledge for the purpose of ascertaining the presence of metals or ores; to follow a vein; to prospect.
8. transitiveengineeringTo enlarge or shape, as a hole, with a drift.
9. automotiveTo oversteer a vehicle, causing loss of traction, while maintaining control from entry to exit of a corner. See Drifting (motorsport).