the gradual departure from an intended course due to external influences (as a ship or plane)
"The captain struggled to correct the ship's drift caused by the strong crosswind pushing it off its planned route."
a process of linguistic change over a period of time
"Over generations, the language drifted significantly from its original form due to subtle shifts in pronunciation and vocabulary usage."
a large mass of material that is heaped up by the wind or by water currents
"The storm created a massive drift of snow against the side of the house."
Movement; that which moves or is moved.
"The sudden gust of wind caused a noticeable drift in the ship's course."
Anything driven at random.
"The leaves drifted across the garden floor in a chaotic, aimless pattern."
In plain English: Drift is when something slowly moves away from its intended path without any force pushing it directly.
"The boat caught in strong currents began to drift toward the rocks without any engine power."
Usage: As a noun, drift refers to the direction in which something floats or blows rather than its speed. Use it when describing an uncontrolled movement caused by wind or water currents instead of deliberate travel.
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"
"They rolled from town to town"
be piled up in banks or heaps by the force of wind or a current
"snow drifting several feet high"
"sand drifting like snow"
To move slowly, especially pushed by currents of water, air, etc.
"The small boat drifted slowly downstream as the river current carried it away from the shore."
In plain English: To drift means to move slowly and aimlessly without any control over your direction.
"The boat slowly drifted away from the dock in the calm water."
The word drift comes from the Middle English term for an act of driving or a shower of rain and snow. It ultimately traces its roots to ancient Germanic languages where it meant "to drive" or "push."