Definition of Drifting

(p. pr. & vb. n.)
of Drift
  

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drifting
adj
1. afloat on the surface of a body of water; "after the storm the boats were adrift" [syn: adrift(p) , drifting(a) ]


2. continually changing especially as from one abode or occupation to another; "a drifting double-dealer"; "the floating population"; "vagrant hippies of the sixties" [syn: aimless, floating, vagabond, vagrant]
n : aimless wandering from place to place

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Gwanegiad = n. a drifting

Heawd = n. a spreading; a drifting

Hiffiad = n. a flaking; a drifting

Lluchiad = n. a throwing, a drifting

Lluwchiad = n. a drifting; a spraying; a flying of motes

Lluwchiol = a drifting; spraying

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Noun
1. aimless wandering from place to place
(hypernym) wandering, roving, vagabondage
(derivation) stray, err, drift

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Adjective
1. continually changing especially as from one abode or occupation to another; "a drifting double-dealer"; "the floating population"; "vagrant hippies of the sixties"
(synonym) aimless, floating, vagabond, vagrant
(similar) unsettled
2. afloat on the surface of a body of water; "after the storm the boats were adrift"
(synonym) adrift(p), drifting(a)
(similar) afloat(p)

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Noun
1. a force that moves something along
(synonym) impetus, impulsion
(hypernym) force
2. the gradual departure from an intended course due to external influences (as a ship or plane)
(hypernym) natural process, natural action, action, activity
(hyponym) leeway
(derivation) stray, err
(classification) ship
3. a process of linguistic change over a period of time
(hypernym) linguistic process
(hyponym) melioration
4. something that is heaped up by the wind or by water currents
(hypernym) substance, matter
(hyponym) drumlin
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"
(synonym) trend, movement
(hypernym) inclination, disposition, tendency
(hyponym) evolutionary trend
(derivation) drive, get, aim
6. general meaning or tenor; "caught the drift of the conversation"
(synonym) purport
(hypernym) tenor, strain
(derivation) drive, get, aim
7. a horizontal (or nearly horizontal) passageway in a mine; "they dug a drift parallel with the vein"
(synonym) heading, gallery
(hypernym) passageway
(derivation) drive
(classification) mining, excavation

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Verb
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"
(synonym) float, be adrift, blow
(hypernym) travel, go, move, locomote
(hyponym) waft
(verb-group) float
(derivation) impetus, impulsion
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"
(synonym) stray, err
(hypernym) travel, go, move, locomote
(verb-group) roll, wander, swan, stray, tramp, roam, cast, ramble, rove, range, vagabond
(derivation) driftage
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"; "They rolled from town to town"
(synonym) roll, wander, swan, stray, tramp, roam, cast, ramble, rove, range, vagabond
(hypernym) travel, go, move, locomote
(hyponym) maunder
(verb-group) stray, err
(derivation) vagrant, drifter, floater, vagabond
4. vary or move from a fixed point or course; "stock prices are drifting higher"
(hypernym) vary
5. live unhurriedly, irresponsibly, or freely; "My son drifted around for years in California before going to law school"
(synonym) freewheel
(hypernym) exist, survive, live, subsist
6. move in an unhurried fashion; "The unknown young man drifted among the invited guests"
(hypernym) circulate
(verb-group) freewheel
7. cause to be carried by a current; "drift the boats downstream"
(hypernym) float
(verb-group) float, be adrift, blow
(derivation) impetus, impulsion
8. drive slowly and far afield for grazing; "drift the cattle herds westwards"
(hypernym) crop, graze, pasture
9. be subject to fluctuation; "The stock market drifted upward"
(hypernym) change
(derivation) trend, movement
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"
(hypernym) accumulate, cumulate, conglomerate, pile up, gather, amass

Underway, but proceeding over the bottom without use of engines, oars or sails; being carried along only by the tide, current, or wind. (USCG2)

(of baseline in a chromatogram) may be caused by movement of the stationary phase into the mobile phase.

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