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DRIFT

Definition:

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

Synonyms:

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Related Words:

• waft
• tide
• stream
• maunder
• gallivant, gad, jazz around
• leeway
• melioration
• drumlin
• snowdrift
• evolutionary trend
• gravitation

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