verb / noun
drift
DRIFT/drɪft/
Movement under external forces without a fixed forward path.
Fallen leaves drift across the pond with the gentle current.
Etymology
The noun drift meant “a being driven”; the verb came to describe floating or being carried by a current. That passive movement underlies moving without a fixed direction.
In context
See how they twist, hover, and drift with no clear direction.
More examples
- We measure the buoy's drift to track the current.
- The conversation gradually drifts away from the original topic.
- A deep snow drift blocks the cabin door.
- The driver drifts sideways through a turn on the racetrack.
Forms
drift · drifts · drifted · drifting
drifter noun — Someone who moves without settling permanently.