drift

1 a pile or ridge of granular matter (as sand or snow) deep drifts of snow blocked our driveway Synonyms bar, bank, moundRelated Words snowbank, snowdrift; embankment, sandbar; heap, hill, mass, mountain, stack, tuft

2 a prevailing or general movement or inclination the steady drift of the population away from large cities Synonyms current, direction, trend, leaning, run, tendency, tide, windRelated Words curve, downside, shift, swing, turn, turnabout, upside; custom, habit, propensity, tenor, way; countercurrent, countertrend; undercurrent, undertow

3 the idea that is conveyed or intended to be conveyed to the mind by language, symbol, or action you should expect a visit from the stork, if you get my drift Synonyms content, denotation, meaning, import, intent, intention, purport, sense, significance, significationRelated Words connotation; clue, cue, hint, implication, indication, inkling, intimation, suggestion; message, tenor, theme; bottom, essence, essentiality, nature, soul, spirit, stuff; acceptance, acceptation, definition; burden, crux, gist; core, heart, kernel, marrow, nub, nucleus, pith, point, quick; matter, motif, motive, question, subject, topic

1 to move or proceed smoothly and readily casual conversation drifting from one topic to another Synonyms bowl, breeze, brush, coast, cruise, flow, glide, roll, sail, skim, slide, slip, stream, sweep, whiskRelated Words fly, race, rush, speedNear Antonyms limp, lumber, plod, stumble, trudge; shamble, shuffle; stamp, stomp, stump, tramp; labor, toilAntonyms flounder, struggle

2 to rest or move along the surface of a liquid or in the air the boat drifted along on the current Synonyms float, glide, hang, hover, poise, ride, sail, swim, waftRelated Words bob, dangle, suspend; buoy; balloon, raftNear Antonyms dive, lunge, plunge; dip, immerse, submerge, submerseAntonyms settle, sink

3 to move about from place to place aimlessly spent several years drifting from town to town, picking up odd jobs whenever he needed cash Synonyms bat, cruise, wander, float, gad (about), gallivant (also galavant), kick around, knock (about), maunder, meander, mooch, ramble, range, roam, rove, traipseRelated Words amble, saunter, stroll; dawdle, mope; gypsy, hobo, tramp, vagabond; mill (about or around); straggle, stray