drift
Definition from Wiktionary, the free dictionary
Contents |
[edit] English
[edit] Pronunciation
[edit] Noun
drift (plural drifts)
- The act or motion of drifting; the force which impels or drives; an overpowering influence or impulse.
- A place, also known as a ford, along a river where the water is shallow enough to permit oxen or sheep to be driven to the opposite side.
- Course or direction along which anything is driven; setting.
- The tendency of an act, argument, course of conduct, or the like; object aimed at or intended; intention; hence, also, import or meaning of a sentence or discourse; aim.
- 1977, Geoffrey Chaucer, The Canterbury Tales, Penguin Classics, p. 316:
- 'Besides, you lack the brains to catch my drift. / If I explained you wouldn't understand.'
- 1977, Geoffrey Chaucer, The Canterbury Tales, Penguin Classics, p. 316:
- That which is driven, forced, or urged along
- Anything driven at random.
- A mass of matter which has been driven or forced onward together in a body, or thrown together in a heap, etc., especially by wind or water; as, a drift of snow, of ice, of sand, and the like.
- A drove or flock, as of cattle, sheep, birds.
- The horizontal thrust or pressure of an arch or vault upon the abutments.
- A collection of loose earth and rocks, or boulders, which have been distributed over large portions of the earth's surface, especially in latitudes north of forty degrees, by the agency of ice.
- (South Africa) a ford in a river.
- A slightly tapered tool of steel for enlarging or shaping a hole in metal, by being forced or driven into or through it; a broach.
- A tool used in driving down compactly the composition contained in a rocket, or like firework.
- A deviation from the line of fire, peculiar to oblong projectiles.
- A passage driven or cut between shaft and shaft; a driftway; a small subterranean gallery; an adit or tunnel.
- The distance through which a current flows in a given time.
- (nautical) The angle which the line of a ship's motion makes with the meridian, in drifting.
- (nautical) The distance to which a vessel is carried off from her desired course by the wind, currents, or other causes.
- (nautical) The place in a deep-waisted vessel where the sheer is raised and the rail is cut off, and usually terminated with a scroll, or driftpiece.
- The distance between the two blocks of a tackle.
- The difference between the size of a bolt and the hole into which it is driven, or between the circumference of a hoop and that of the mast on which it is to be driven.
- A sideways movement of the ball through the air, when bowled by a spin bowler.
- Driftwood included in flotsam washed up onto the beach.
- (geology) The material left behind by the retreat of continental glaciers, which buries former river valleys and creates young river valleys.
- 1867, E. Andrews, "Observations on the Glacial Drift beneath the bed of Lake Michigan," American Journal of Science and Arts, vol. 43, nos. 127-129, page 75:
- It is there seen that at a distance from the valleys of streams, the old glacial drift usually comes to the surface, and often rises into considerable eminences.
- 1867, E. Andrews, "Observations on the Glacial Drift beneath the bed of Lake Michigan," American Journal of Science and Arts, vol. 43, nos. 127-129, page 75:
- (mining) A horizontal passage in a mine.
[edit] Derived terms
[edit] Translations
The act or motion of drifting; the force which impels or drives; an overpowering influence or impulse
A place, also known as a ford, along a river where the water is shallow enough to permit oxen or sheep to be driven to the opposite side
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Course or direction along which anything is driven; setting
The tendency of an act, argument, course of conduct, or the like; object aimed at or intended; intention
That which is driven, forced, or urged along
A mass of matter which has been driven or forced onward together in a body, or thrown together in a heap, etc.
The horizontal thrust or pressure of an arch or vault upon the abutments
A collection of loose earth and rocks, or boulders, which have been distributed over large portions of the earth's surface
In South Africa, a ford in a river
A slightly tapered tool of steel for enlarging or shaping a hole in metal
A tool used in driving down compactly the composition contained in a rocket, or like firework
A deviation from the line of fire, peculiar to oblong projectiles
A passage driven or cut between shaft and shaft; a driftway; a small subterranean gallery; an adit or tunnel
The angle which the line of a ship's motion makes with the meridian, in drifting
The distance to which a vessel is carried off from her desired course by the wind, currents, or other causes
The place in a deep-waisted vessel where the sheer is raised and the rail is cut off
The distance between the two blocks of a tackle
The difference between the size of a bolt and the hole into which it is driven
A sideways movement of the ball through the air, when bowled by a spin bowler
[edit] Verb
drift (third-person singular simple present drifts, present participle drifting, simple past and past participle drifted)
- To move slowly, pushed by currents of water, air, etc.
- To move haphazardly without any destination.
- He drifted from town to town, never settling down.
- To deviate gently from the intended direction of travel.
- This car tends to drift left at high speeds
- 2011 January 15, Saj Chowdhury, “Man City 4 - 3 Wolves”, BBC:
- Midway through the half, Argentine Tevez did begin to drift inside in order to exert his influence but by this stage Mick McCarthy's side had gone 1-0 up and looked comfortable.
[edit] Derived terms
[edit] Translations
To move slowly, pushed by currents of water, air, etc
To move haphazardly without any destination
To deviate gently from the intended direction of travel
[edit] Dutch
[edit] Etymology
From Middle Dutch drift, earlier presumably also *dricht, from Old Dutch *drift, from Proto-Germanic *driftiz.
[edit] Pronunciation
- Rhymes: -ɪft
[edit] Noun
drift f. (plural driften)
- passion
- strong and sudden upwelling of anger: a fit
- violent tendency
- flock (of sheep or oxen)
- deviation of direction caused by wind: drift
- path along which cattle are driven
[edit] Related terms
[edit] Swedish
[edit] Noun
drift c.
- urge, instinct
- operation, management (singular only)
