drift
To move slowly, especially pushed by currents of water, air, etcTo move slowly, especially pushed by currents of water, air, etc.
Meaning
9 senses(intransitive)To move slowly, especially pushed by currents of water, air, etc.
The boat drifted away from the shore.
The balloon was drifting in the breeze.
driften, treiben
дрейфова́тьdrejfovátʹ
дрейфува́тиdrejfuváty
be in motion due to some air or water current
(intransitive)To move haphazardly without any destination.
He drifted from town to town, never settling down.
irren, ziellos ziehen, ziellos wandern
сноси́тьсяsnosítʹsja, носи́тьсяnosítʹsja
move about aimlessly or without any destination, often in search of food or employment
(intransitive)To deviate gently from the intended direction of travel.
This car tends to drift left at high speeds.
abdriften nach, ziehen nach
отклоня́тьсяotklonjátʹsja, отклони́тьсяotklonítʹsja, сходи́тьsxodítʹ
(transitive)To drive or carry, as currents do a floating body.
1865-1866, John Henry Newman, Apologia Pro Vita Sua I was drifted back first to the ante - Nicene history , and then to the Church of Alexandria
treiben
(transitive)To drive into heaps.
A current of wind drifts snow or sand
zu einen Haufen zusammenwehen, sich zu einer Verwehung anhäufen
(intransitive)To accumulate in heaps by the force of wind; to be driven into heaps.
Snow or sand drifts.
zu Haufen zusammengeweht werden, Verwehungen bilden
be piled up in banks or heaps by the force of wind or a current
(US)To make a drift; to examine a vein or ledge for the purpose of ascertaining the presence of metals or ores; to follow a vein; to prospect.
(transitive)To enlarge or shape, as a hole, with a drift.
To oversteer a vehicle, causing loss of traction, while maintaining control from entry to exit of a corner. See Drifting (motorsport).
driften
дрифтоватьdriftovatʹ, топитьtopitʹ, валить бокомvalitʹ bokom
Examples
163 sentencesTom and Mary have drifted apart.
Том і Мері розійшлися. — bicolino34
The boat drifted down the stream.
deDas Boot driftete stromabwärts. — Tamy
The boat drifted out to sea.
deDas Boot driftete auf das offene Meer hinaus. — Tamy
I've drifted apart from my friends.
ruЯ отдалился от своих друзей. — Wezel
Tom drifted downstream on the raft.
Translations
8 languagesBy meaning 1
By meaning 4
By meaning 5
Origin
From Middle English drift, dryft (“act of driving, drove, shower of rain or snow, impulse”From Middle English drift, dryft (“act of driving, drove, shower of rain or snow, impulse”), from Old English *drift (“drift”), from Proto-Germanic *driftiz (“drift”), from Proto-Indo-European *dʰreybʰ- (“to drive, push”). Equivalent to drive + -t; cognate with North Frisian drift (“drift”), Saterland Frisian Drift (“current, flow, stream, drift”), Dutch drift (“drift, passion, urge”), German Drift (“drift”) and Trift (“drove, pasture”), Danish drift (“impulse, instinct”), Swedish drift (“impulse, instinct”), Icelandic drift (“drift, snow-drift”).
Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Forms
drifts, drifting, drifted, driftedPhrasal verbs
3 phrasal verbsSynonyms
16 synonymsWord family
11 related wordsLessons for this word
3 lessons- A1Present simple — Because it is a verb
- A1Past simple, regular verbs — Because of its past form
- A2Present perfect: introduction — Because of its past participle