Definitions for drift
drift
drift
Spelling: [drift]
IPA: /drɪft/
Drift is a 5 letter English word.
It's valid Scrabble word worth 9 points.
It's valid Words with friends word worth 9 points.
You can make 56 anagrams from letters in drift (dfirt).
Definitions for drift
noun
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a driving movement or force; impulse; impetus; pressure.
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Navigation. (of a ship) the component of the movement that is due to the force of wind and currents.
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Oceanography. a broad, shallow ocean current that advances at the rate of 10 to 15 miles (16 to 24 km) a day.
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Nautical.
the flow or the speed in knots of an ocean current.
the distance between the end of a rope and the part in use.
the distance between two blocks in a tackle.
the difference in diameter between two parts, one of which fits within the other, as a mast and its mast hoops, or a treenail and its hole.
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Aeronautics. the deviation of an aircraft from a set course due to cross winds.
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the course along which something moves; tendency; aim:
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a meaning; intent; purport:
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something driven, as animals, rain, etc.
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a heap of any matter driven together.
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a snowdrift.
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Geology. glacial drift.
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the state or process of being driven.
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overbearing power or influence.
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Military. a tool used in charging an ordnance piece.
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Electronics.
a gradual change in some operating characteristic of a circuit, tube, or other electronic device, either during a brief period as an effect of warming up or during a long period as an effect of continued use.
the movement of charge carriers in a semiconductor due to the influence of an applied voltage.
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Linguistics. gradual change in the structure of a language.
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Machinery.
Also called driftpin. a round, tapering piece of steel for enlarging holes in metal, or for bringing holes in line to receive rivets or bolts.
a flat, tapered piece of steel used to drive tools with tapered shanks, as drill bits, from their holders.
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Civil Engineering. a secondary tunnel between two main tunnels or shafts.
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Mining. an approximately horizontal passageway in underground mining.
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Physics. the movement of charged particles under the influence of an electric field.
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Aerospace. the gradual deviation of a rocket or guided missile from its intended trajectory.
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Mechanics. displacement of the gimbals of a gyroscope due to friction on bearings, unbalance of the gyroscope's mass or other imperfections.
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the thrust of an arched structure.
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Dentistry. a shift of the teeth from their normal position in the dental arch.
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Western U.S. a flock of animals or birds.
Verb phrases
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drift off, to fall asleep gradually.
verb (used with object)
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to carry along:
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to drive into heaps:
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Machinery.
to enlarge (a punched or drilled hole) with a drift.
to align or straighten (holes, especially rivet holes) with a drift.
verb (used without object)
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to be carried along by currents of water or air, or by the force of circumstances.
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to wander aimlessly:
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to be driven into heaps, as by the wind:
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to deviate or vary from a set course or adjustment.
Origin of drift
1250-1300; Middle English drift, noun derivative of Old English drīfan to drive; cognate with Dutch drift “herd, flock,” German Trift “herd, pasturage, road to pastu
Examples for drift
Everyone will laugh, the word “nerd” will be used affectionately, and the conversation will drift on.
Now there was a way to obtain old music that the record companies had allowed to drift out of print.
The mother continues to row frantically, but the boat begins to drift slowly downstream.
They were, however, superior to the drift men, and had some notion of art.
They, quite predictably, fall in love, and then drift apart.
Things can drift over time and you can find yourself very far away from shore when you thought you were quite close to the beach.
But what her eyes met caused the color to drift from her face.
I was now ashore, with two or three months of drift before me.
As they walked single-file through the narrowing of a drift, she wondered about him.
If we permit our economy to drift and decline, the vulnerable will suffer most.