26984 words

drifts

17 definitions • 25 examples
1
to move slowly, especially as a result of outside forces, with no control over direction:

Examples:

drift out to sea No one noticed that the boat had begun to drift out to sea.
drift in A mist drifted in from the marshes.
drift away After the band stopped playing, people drifted away in twos and threes.
drift aimlessly figurative The talk drifted aimlessly from one subject to another.
2
in car racing, to use a driving technique (= a method needing skill) that means the car's tyres lose their traction (= their firm hold on the ground) but the driver still has control of the car's direction, used for example when going around a corner fast:

Examples:

She has always been interested in cars and at the age of 21 she learned how to drift.
The image shows him drifting his car around a race track bend.
3
the general meaning without the details:

Examples:

general drift of The general drift of the article was that society doesn't value older people.
4
to understand the general meaning of what someone is saying:

Examples:

She could see from his expression that he caught her drift immediately.
5
used to say that you have left out information or your opinion from what you have just said, but that you expect the person listening still to understand it:

Examples:

She's married, but she doesn't act as if she is, if you get my drift.
6
a pile of snow or something similar, formed by the wind:

Examples:

The snow lay in deep drifts.
7
a general development or change in a situation:

Examples:

The downward drift in copper prices looks like it will continue.
8
in car racing, a driving technique in which the car's tyres are made to lose their traction (= their firm hold on the ground) but the driver still has control of the car's direction, used for example when going around a corner fast:

Examples:

To start a drift, you have to make the rear wheels lose traction, which is most commonly done through oversteering.
A car with a rear-wheel drive system is much easier to control during a drift.
9
to move slowly, esp. as a result of outside forces, with no control over direction:

Examples:

He stopped rowing and let the boat drift.
10
Someone or something that drifts changes in a gradual way that seems to be controlled by outside forces:

Examples:

I finally drifted off to sleep.
11
the general meaning or message of something said or written:

Examples:

After a minute I caught his drift and grinned back.
12
a gradual change that seems to be controlled by outside forces:

Examples:

Many people experience a drift toward more conservative politics as they get older.
13
A drift is also a pile of something that is made larger by the force of the wind:

Examples:

The state police closed the highway because of deep snow drifts.
14
to slowly go up or down in value with no particular control over direction:

Examples:

drift lower/down/downwards The airline's shares drifted down 15 cents at $5.80.
15
a slow change in value, with no particular control over direction:

Examples:

an upward/downward drift in sth The downward drift in copper prices looks set to continue.
16
a slow development or change from one situation to another:

Examples:

drift away from sth The company is not seeing evidence of any drift away from its premium brands.
drift to/toward sth There has been general unease about the drift toward a culture of selling, marketing, and consumerism.
17
a slow movement from one place to another:

Examples:

a drift from sth to sth The population drift from the cities to the suburbs adds significantly to car use.

Navigation