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| drift [ drift ] |
verb (past and past participle drift·ed, present participle drift·ing, 3rd person present singular drifts) |
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1. intransitive verb be carried along: to be carried along by the flow of water or air
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2. intransitive verb move aimlessly: to move in a slow, smooth, gentle, and unforced way, usually without any direction or purpose
  The crowd gradually drifted away.
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3. intransitive verb wander aimlessly: to go from one place to another, never staying anywhere for very long and seeming to have little purpose
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4. intransitive verb navigation wander from set course or position: to deviate from a set course or move gradually away from a fixed position
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5. intransitive verb move from one state to another: to move gradually from one state or situation to another in an unintentional, casual, or aimless way
drifted into debt
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6. intransitive verb change gradually: to change or develop gradually, or move slowly from one point or position to another
Prices have drifted downward in recent weeks.
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7. transitive and intransitive verb form heaps: to build up and form heaps as a result of the action of the wind or water currents, or cause something such as snow, sand, or leaves to do this
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noun (plural drifts) |
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| Definition: |
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1. piled-up deposits: a heap, pile, or bank of something such as snow, sand, or leaves created by the action of the wind or water currents
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2. drifting movement: a slow gentle movement in which something is carried along on a current of air or water
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3. material carried along: an amount of something carried along on a current of air or water
drifts of smoke coming from the chimneys
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4. movement of people: a gradual movement over a period of time of groups of people or animals toward or away from a place
the drift of young people away from rural areas
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5. gradual change: a broad and gradual change or development, e.g. in people's opinions or behavior
a drift back to larger cars
a downward drift in prices
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6. general meaning: the general meaning of an argument, opinion, or statement
She used a lot of technical jargon but I managed to get the drift of her argument.
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7. inactivity: a state of inactivity or indecision in which a person or group is carried along by events
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8. navigation deviation: the distance or extent to which a ship or aircraft deviates from its set course because of the action of wind or water currents
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9. geology deposit of gravel: a loose deposit of sand, gravel, or rock left by a glacier or ice sheet
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10. geography current: the motion of a river or broad ocean current
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11. mineral extract horizontal mineshaft: a horizontal or almost horizontal mineshaft that follows a vein of ore
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12. mineral extract connecting passage in mine: a small passage in a mine connecting two main shafts or tunnels
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13. electrical engineering uncontrolled change in setting: a slow uncontrolled change in a previously adjusted setting, e.g. in the frequency to which an electronic device has been set
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14. mechanical engineering tapering steel tool: a tapering steel tool used to enlarge or align holes in pieces of metal before they are bolted or riveted
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15. controlled skid: a controlled slide used by racing drivers as a method of cornering at high speed
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16. South Africa shallows or ford: a shallow part of a river, or a ford across it
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| [14th century. < Old Norse drift "snowdrift" < Germanic] |
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| drift·y adjective |
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