drift (
http://definr.com/drift)
n 1: a force that moves something along [syn:
impetus,
impulsion]
2: the gradual departure from an intended course due to
external influences (as a ship or plane)
3: a process of linguistic change over a period of time
4: something heaped up by the wind or current
5: a general tendency as of opinion: "not openly liberal but
that is the tendency of the book" [syn:
trend]
6: general meaning or tenor: "caught the drift of the
conversation" [syn:
purport]
7: (mining) a horizontal (or nearly horizontal) passageway in a
mine; "they dug a drift parallel with the vein" [syn:
heading,
gallery]
v 1: be in motion due to some air or water current; "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]
2: wander from a direct course or at random; "The child strayed
from the path and her parents lost sight of her"; "don't
drift from the set course" [syn:
stray,
err]
3: move about aimlessly or without any destination, often in
search of food or employment; "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" [syn:
wander,
swan,
stray,
tramp,
roam,
cast,
ramble,
rove,
range,
vagabond]
4: vary or move from a fixed point or course; "stock prices are
drifting higher"
5: live unhurriedly, irresponsibly, or freely; "My son drifted
around for years in California before going to law
school" [syn:
freewheel]
6: move in an unhurried fashion; "The unknown young man drifted
among the invited guests"
7: cause to be carried by a current; "drift the boats
downstream"
8: drive slowly and far afield for grazing; "drift the cattle
herds westwards"
9: be subject to fluctuation; "The stock market drifted upward"
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"