drift
1. a force that moves something along (Freq. 3)
• Syn:
impetus, impulsion
• Derivationally related forms:
impel (for: impulsion)
• Hypernyms:
force
2. the gradual departure from an intended course due to external influences (as a ship or plane) (Freq. 1)
• Topics:
ship, airplane, aeroplane, plane
• Hypernyms:
natural process, natural action, action, activity
• Hyponyms:
leeway
3. a process of linguistic change over a period of time
• Hypernyms:
linguistic process
• Hyponyms:
melioration
4. a large mass of material that is heaped up by the wind or by water currents
• Hypernyms:
mass
• Hyponyms:
drumlin, snowdrift
5. 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
• Syn:
trend, movement
• Derivationally related forms:
drive
• Hypernyms:
inclination, disposition, tendency
• Hyponyms:
evolutionary trend, gravitation
6. the pervading meaning or tenor
- caught the general drift of the conversation
• Syn:
purport
• Derivationally related forms:
drive
• Hypernyms:
tenor, strain
7. a horizontal (or nearly horizontal) passageway in a mine
- they dug a drift parallel with the vein
• Syn:
heading, gallery
• Derivationally related forms:
drive
• Topics:
mining, excavation
• Hypernyms:
passageway
1. be in motion due to some air or water current (Freq. 6)
- 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
• Syn:
float, be adrift, blow
• Derivationally related forms:
blow (for: blow)
• Hypernyms:
travel, go, move, locomote
• Hyponyms:
waft, tide, stream
• Verb Group:
float
• Verb Frames:
- Something ----s
- Something is ----ing PP
2. wander from a direct course or at random (Freq. 3)
- The child strayed from the path and her parents lost sight of her
- don't drift from the set course
• Syn:
stray, err
• Derivationally related forms:
driftage, drifting, errant (for: err), strayer (for: stray)
• Hypernyms:
travel, go, move, locomote
• Verb Group:
roll, wander, swan, stray, tramp,
roam, cast, ramble, rove, range, vagabond
• Verb Frames:
- Somebody ----s
- Somebody ----s PP
3. move about aimlessly or without any destination, often in search of food or employment (Freq. 3)
- 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
• Syn:
roll, wander, swan, stray, tramp,
roam, cast, ramble, rove, range, vagabond
• Derivationally related forms:
vagabond (for: vagabond), vagabondage (for: vagabond), drifter, drifting, roving (for: rove), ramble (for: ramble), rambler (for: ramble), roamer (for: roam), tramp (for: tramp), stray (for: stray), strayer (for: stray), wanderer (for: wander), wandering (for: wander)
• Hypernyms:
travel, go, move, locomote
• Hyponyms:
maunder, gallivant, gad, jazz around
• Verb Group:
stray, err, wander
• Verb Frames:
- Somebody ----s
- Something is ----ing PP
- Somebody ----s something
- Somebody ----s PP
4. vary or move from a fixed point or course
- stock prices are drifting higher
• Hypernyms:
vary
• Verb Frames:
- Something ----s
5. live unhurriedly, irresponsibly, or freely
- My son drifted around for years in California before going to law school
• Syn:
freewheel
• Derivationally related forms:
freewheeler (for: freewheel)
• Hypernyms:
exist, survive, live, subsist
• Verb Frames:
- Somebody ----s
6. move in an unhurried fashion
- The unknown young man drifted among the invited guests
• Hypernyms:
circulate
• Verb Group:
freewheel
• Verb Frames:
- Somebody ----s
7. cause to be carried by a current
- drift the boats downstream
• Hypernyms:
float
• Verb Group:
float, be adrift, blow
• Verb Frames:
- Somebody ----s something
8. drive slowly and far afield for grazing
- drift the cattle herds westwards
• Hypernyms:
crop, graze, pasture
• Verb Frames:
- Somebody ----s something
9. be subject to fluctuation
- The stock market drifted upward
• Hypernyms:
change
• Verb Frames:
- Something ----s
10. be piled up in banks or heaps by the force of wind or a current
- snow drifting several feet high
- sand drifting like snow
• Hypernyms:
accumulate, cumulate, conglomerate, pile up, gather, amass
• Verb Frames:
- Something ----s
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