[noun] a force that moves something along Synonyms:impetus, impulsion
[noun] the gradual departure from an intended course due to external influences (as a ship or plane)
[noun] a process of linguistic change over a period of time
[noun] something that is heaped up by the wind or by water currents
[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
[noun] general meaning or tenor; "caught the drift of the conversation" Synonyms:purport
[noun] a horizontal (or nearly horizontal) passageway in a mine; "they dug a drift parallel with the vein" Synonyms:heading, gallery
[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
[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
[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
[verb] vary or move from a fixed point or course; "stock prices are drifting higher"
[verb] live unhurriedly, irresponsibly, or freely; "My son drifted around for years in California before going to law school" Synonyms:freewheel
[verb] move in an unhurried fashion; "The unknown young man drifted among the invited guests"
[verb] cause to be carried by a current; "drift the boats downstream"
[verb] drive slowly and far afield for grazing; "drift the cattle herds westwards"
[verb] be subject to fluctuation; "The stock market drifted upward"
[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"
