[drɪft], (Verb)

Definitions:
- be carried slowly by a current of air or water
(e.g: the cabin cruiser started to drift downstream)

- (especially of snow or leaves) be blown into heaps by the wind
(e.g: fallen leaves were starting to drift in the gutters)


Phrases:

Origin:
Middle English (in the sense ‘mass of snow, leaves, etc.’): originally from Old Norse drift ‘snowdrift, something driven’; in later use from Middle Dutch drift ‘course, current’, and (in drift) South African Dutch drift ‘ford’; related to drive

[drɪft], (Noun)

Definitions:
- a continuous slow movement from one place to another
(e.g: there was a drift to the towns)

- the general intention or meaning of an argument or someone's remarks
(e.g: maybe I'm too close to the forest to see the trees, if you catch my drift)

- a large mass of snow, leaves, or other material piled up or carried along by the wind
(e.g: four sheep were dug out of the drift)

- a horizontal or inclined passage following a mineral vein or coal seam
(e.g: the drift led to another smaller ore chamber)

- an act of driving cattle or sheep

- a ford


Phrases:

Origin:
Middle English (in the sense ‘mass of snow, leaves, etc.’): originally from Old Norse drift ‘snowdrift, something driven’; in later use from Middle Dutch drift ‘course, current’, and (in drift) South African Dutch drift ‘ford’; related to drive