Drift
verb
To move slowly, especially due to currents or winds, without control.
The boat began to drift out to sea.
Often appears as...
- drift apart
- drift away
noun
A slow and gradual shift or change over time.
There has been a drift towards more liberal attitudes.
Often appears as...
- drift of opinion
- drift of sentiment
noun
A large pile of snow or sand formed by the wind.
The wind formed large snow drifts against the side of the house.
Often appears as...
- snow drift
- sand drift
verb
To gradually fall asleep.
I could feel myself starting to drift off in the warm room.
Often appears as...
- drift off to sleep
- drift into sleep
noun
The overall direction or purpose of something, especially when it is not clear.
I didn't catch the drift of his argument.
Often appears as...
- catch the drift
- get the drift
verb
To become distant over time, especially in a relationship.
They gradually drifted apart after they left college.
Often appears as...
- drift apart
- drift away
verb
To move or progress aimlessly or casually.
After he quit his job, he just drifted for a few years.
Often appears as...
- drift through life
- drift from place to place
verb
To move slowly, especially due to currents or winds, without control.
The boat began to drift out to sea.
Often appears as...
- drift apart
- drift away
noun
A slow and gradual shift or change over time.
There has been a drift towards more liberal attitudes.
Often appears as...
- drift of opinion
- drift of sentiment
noun
A large pile of snow or sand formed by the wind.
The wind formed large snow drifts against the side of the house.
Often appears as...
- snow drift
- sand drift
verb
To gradually fall asleep.
I could feel myself starting to drift off in the warm room.
Often appears as...
- drift off to sleep
- drift into sleep
noun
The overall direction or purpose of something, especially when it is not clear.
I didn't catch the drift of his argument.
Often appears as...
- catch the drift
- get the drift
verb
To become distant over time, especially in a relationship.
They gradually drifted apart after they left college.
Often appears as...
- drift apart
- drift away
verb
To move or progress aimlessly or casually.
After he quit his job, he just drifted for a few years.
Often appears as...
- drift through life
- drift from place to place
Definition 1 of 7
Pro Tip 1/3Lack of control
Used when something or someone moves without purpose or guidance, often at the mercy of external forces.
Leaves drift through the air on a breezy autumn day.
Pro Tip 2/3Passive action
Describes movement that is not driven by any intention, seeming natural or unguided.
The conversation seemed to drift from one topic to another.
Pro Tip 3/3Subtle movement
Refers to movement that is gentle or gradual, almost unnoticeable at first.
She let her mind drift during the lecture.
Pro Tip 1/3Lack of control
Used when something or someone moves without purpose or guidance, often at the mercy of external forces.
Leaves drift through the air on a breezy autumn day.
Pro Tip 2/3Passive action
Describes movement that is not driven by any intention, seeming natural or unguided.
The conversation seemed to drift from one topic to another.
Pro Tip 3/3Subtle movement
Refers to movement that is gentle or gradual, almost unnoticeable at first.
She let her mind drift during the lecture.
Pro Tip 1/3Lack of control
Used when something or someone moves without purpose or guidance, often at the mercy of external forces.
Leaves drift through the air on a breezy autumn day.
Pro Tip 2/3Passive action
Describes movement that is not driven by any intention, seeming natural or unguided.
The conversation seemed to drift from one topic to another.
Pro Tip 3/3Subtle movement
Refers to movement that is gentle or gradual, almost unnoticeable at first.
She let her mind drift during the lecture.
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Video examples
A simple way to break a...
The instruction was simple enough but I was missing something really important. So why is it so hard to pay attention? Well, studies show that even when we're really trying to pay attention to something -- like maybe this talk -- at some point, about half of us will drift off into a daydream,
Video examples
Why do blood types...
scientists aren't sure why they evolved; perhaps as protection against blood born diseases, or due to random genetic drift. Finally, different species have different sets of antigens. In fact, the four main blood types shared by us apes
Video examples
The otherworldly...
Marine snow is basically organic matter, things like particles of dead algae, plants, and animals, drifting down into the depths and acting as food for deep-sea animals. Largely thanks to that, abundant life forms exist in the darkness,
Video examples
What does it take to...
which means be allowed to with can taking over the former function that may have but of course you know this is basically what languages do they kind of the means drift bit by bit new speakers reanalyze old forms of a language and
Video examples
What's Hiding in the...
and now if i turn on the lights of the submersible we may catch a glimpse of one of these strange deep sea creatures as it drifts by the pilot has remote controls for the camera outside the sub to search for them in the blackness
Video examples
How much of human...
hunting methods, and technologies. In the deepest zone, no human has ever walked. This area has been submerged since well before mankind evolved. The only artifacts we find are those that have drifted down from above,
Video examples
BBC Earth 50 Top Natural...
like a real-life Spider Woman she sprays strands of silk they one long continuous flow the threads fan out like a sail and drift on air currents blowing across the water every few seconds she crimps the
Video examples
The history of tea -...
But before the poisons could end his life, a leaf drifted into his mouth. He chewed on it and it revived him, and that is how we discovered tea. Or so an ancient legend goes at least.
Video examples
Sun 101 PIPE National...
Without the sun's gravity these celestial bodies would drift off into deep space Another critical property of the Sun is its magnetic field which encapsulates the entire solar system
Video examples
Hippos Can’t Swim? PIPE...
on its journey it gathers an abundance of life and becomes laden with sand and sediments which drift in its current
Video examples
A simple way to break a...
The instruction was simple enough but I was missing something really important. So why is it so hard to pay attention? Well, studies show that even when we're really trying to pay attention to something -- like maybe this talk -- at some point, about half of us will drift off into a daydream,
Video examples
Why do blood types...
scientists aren't sure why they evolved; perhaps as protection against blood born diseases, or due to random genetic drift. Finally, different species have different sets of antigens. In fact, the four main blood types shared by us apes
Video examples
The otherworldly...
Marine snow is basically organic matter, things like particles of dead algae, plants, and animals, drifting down into the depths and acting as food for deep-sea animals. Largely thanks to that, abundant life forms exist in the darkness,
Video examples
What does it take to...
which means be allowed to with can taking over the former function that may have but of course you know this is basically what languages do they kind of the means drift bit by bit new speakers reanalyze old forms of a language and
Video examples
What's Hiding in the...
and now if i turn on the lights of the submersible we may catch a glimpse of one of these strange deep sea creatures as it drifts by the pilot has remote controls for the camera outside the sub to search for them in the blackness
Video examples
How much of human...
hunting methods, and technologies. In the deepest zone, no human has ever walked. This area has been submerged since well before mankind evolved. The only artifacts we find are those that have drifted down from above,
Video examples
BBC Earth 50 Top Natural...
like a real-life Spider Woman she sprays strands of silk they one long continuous flow the threads fan out like a sail and drift on air currents blowing across the water every few seconds she crimps the
Video examples
The history of tea -...
But before the poisons could end his life, a leaf drifted into his mouth. He chewed on it and it revived him, and that is how we discovered tea. Or so an ancient legend goes at least.
Video examples
Sun 101 PIPE National...
Without the sun's gravity these celestial bodies would drift off into deep space Another critical property of the Sun is its magnetic field which encapsulates the entire solar system
Video examples
Hippos Can’t Swim? PIPE...
on its journey it gathers an abundance of life and becomes laden with sand and sediments which drift in its current
Example 1 of 10
Quote examples
Jane Fonda
American Actress
Instead of drifting along like a leaf in a river, understand who you are and how you come across to people and what kind of an impact you have on the people around you and the community around you and the world, so that when you go out, you can feel you have made a positive difference.
Quote examples
Barry Humphries
Australian Comedian
I feel like I've cheated. I never knew what to do. I was never a good enough painter to earn a living, and so I drifted into the theatre, and I've had a successful life. I feel guilty that I've never done a day's work in my life!
Quote examples
Ellen DeGeneres
American Comedian
I do have ADD and in real life, I'm all over the place and can hardly focus. If we were talking for, for more than an hour or so, I'd start drifting off... I can't sit still too long.
Quote examples
Jon Ronson
Welsh Journalist
The world outside Twitter was great. I read books. I reconnected with people I knew from real life and met them for drinks in person. Then I drifted back on to Twitter.
Quote examples
Keren Woodward
English Musician
We wouldn't ever sit down and pretend that our friendship didn't fall apart back in the late '80s. It wasn't like there was a massive bust-up. We just drifted apart.
Quote examples
Susan Orlean
American Journalist
I don't turn to greeting cards for wisdom and advice, but they are a fine reflection of the general drift of the culture.
Quote examples
Robert Sheehan
Irish Actor
As a kid, I didn't drift into the comic world too much because I preferred to read fantasies novels and science fiction.
Quote examples
Rick Warren
American Writer
You drift through life and let things happen to you, or go by design and say, 'This is what I'm intended to do.
Quote examples
Eleanor Catton
New Zealander Author
I can feel the public side of my life and the private side of my life sort of drifting away from one another.
Quote examples
Terry Brooks
American Writer
Well, I think that as a country, we've drifted away from appreciating the importance of imagination.
Quote examples
Jane Fonda
American Actress
Instead of drifting along like a leaf in a river, understand who you are and how you come across to people and what kind of an impact you have on the people around you and the community around you and the world, so that when you go out, you can feel you have made a positive difference.
Quote examples
Barry Humphries
Australian Comedian
I feel like I've cheated. I never knew what to do. I was never a good enough painter to earn a living, and so I drifted into the theatre, and I've had a successful life. I feel guilty that I've never done a day's work in my life!
Quote examples
Ellen DeGeneres
American Comedian
I do have ADD and in real life, I'm all over the place and can hardly focus. If we were talking for, for more than an hour or so, I'd start drifting off... I can't sit still too long.
Quote examples
Jon Ronson
Welsh Journalist
The world outside Twitter was great. I read books. I reconnected with people I knew from real life and met them for drinks in person. Then I drifted back on to Twitter.
Quote examples
Keren Woodward
English Musician
We wouldn't ever sit down and pretend that our friendship didn't fall apart back in the late '80s. It wasn't like there was a massive bust-up. We just drifted apart.
Quote examples
Susan Orlean
American Journalist
I don't turn to greeting cards for wisdom and advice, but they are a fine reflection of the general drift of the culture.
Quote examples
Robert Sheehan
Irish Actor
As a kid, I didn't drift into the comic world too much because I preferred to read fantasies novels and science fiction.
Quote examples
Rick Warren
American Writer
You drift through life and let things happen to you, or go by design and say, 'This is what I'm intended to do.
Quote examples
Eleanor Catton
New Zealander Author
I can feel the public side of my life and the private side of my life sort of drifting away from one another.
Quote examples
Terry Brooks
American Writer
Well, I think that as a country, we've drifted away from appreciating the importance of imagination.
Example 1 of 10
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