TOP

Definition of drift noun from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

drift

noun
 
/drɪft/
 
/drɪft/
jump to other results

    slow movement

  1. [singular, uncountable] a slow steady movement from one place to another; a slow change or development from one situation to another, especially to something bad
    • the drift of people away from rural areas into urban slums
    • attempts to halt the drift towards war
    Extra Examples
    • He criticized the rightward drift of the party.
    • his drift into crime
    • Action is needed to prevent a drift into lawlessness.
    • No attempts were being made to halt the drift towards war.
    • The polls show a drift back towards Labour.
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • gradual
    • slow
    • leftward
    • …
    preposition
    • drift (away) from
    • drift (back) to
    • drift into
    • …
    See full entry
    2.

    of ship

  2. [uncountable] the movement of a ship or plane away from its direction because of currents or wind
    • Remember to allow for drift.
    Topics Transport by waterc1

    3. of sea/air

  3. [uncountable, countable] the movement of the sea or air synonym current
    • the general direction of drift on the east coast
    • He knew the hidden drifts in that part of the river.
    see also longshore drift, North Atlantic Drift
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • gradual
    • slow
    • leftward
    • …
    preposition
    • drift (away) from
    • drift (back) to
    • drift into
    • …
    See full entry
    4.

    of snow

  4. [countable] a large pile of something, especially snow, made by the wind
    • The road was blocked by deep drifts of snow.
    see also snowdrift
    Wordfinder
    Topics Weatherc1
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • deep
    • sand
    • snow
    • …
    See full entry
    5.

    of flowers

  5. [countable] a large mass of something, especially flowers
    • Plant daffodils in informal drifts.
    6.

    meaning

  6. [singular] the general meaning of what somebody says or writes synonym gist
    • Do you catch my drift?
    • My German isn't very good, but I got the drift of what she said.
    Extra Examples
    • I lost the drift of what she was saying.
    • I didn't follow the speech exactly, but I caught the main drift of what was being said.
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • general
    • main
    verb + drift
    • catch
    • follow
    • get
    • …
    See full entry
    7. see also continental drift
    Word OriginMiddle English (in the sense ‘mass of snow, leaves, etc.’): originally from Old Norse drift ‘snowdrift, something driven’; in later use from Middle Dutch drift ‘course, current’.
See drift in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee drift in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic English
Check pronunciation: drift

Nearby words

previously
adverb
 
 
From the Word list
Oxford 3000
B1
Oxford Learner's Dictionaries Word of the Day