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Synonyms
drift

verb

  1. be in motion due to some air or water current: "The leaves were blowing in the wind"
  2. wander from a direct course or at random: "The child strayed from the path and her parents lost sight of her"
  3. move about aimlessly or without any destination, often in search of food or employment: "The gypsies roamed the woods"
  4. vary or move from a fixed point or course: "stock prices are drifting higher"
  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"
  7. cause to be carried by a current: "drift the boats downstream"
  8. drive slowly and far afield for grazing: "drift the cattle herds westwards"

noun

  1. a force that moves something along
  2. the gradual departure from an intended course due to external influences (as a ship or plane)
  3. a process of linguistic change over a period of time
  4. something that is heaped up by the wind or by water currents
  5. a general tendency to change (as of opinion): "not openly liberal but that is the trend of the book"
  6. general meaning or tenor: "caught the drift of the conversation"
  7. a horizontal (or nearly horizontal) passageway in a mine: "they dug a drift parallel with the vein"