{
    "term": "drift",
    "partOfSpeech": "verb",
    "ox5000": true,
    "cefr": "c1",
    "verbForms": {
        "presentSimple": {
            "iYouWeThey": "drift",
            "heSheIt": "drifts"
        },
        "pastSimple": "drifted",
        "pastParticiple": "drifted",
        "ingForm": "drifting"
    },
    "definitions": [
        {
            "senseNumber": 1,
            "definition": "to move along smoothly and slowly in water or air",
            "sensetop": "(+ adv./prep.)",
            "cefr": "c1",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "Clouds drifted across the sky."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The empty boat drifted out to sea."
                },
                {
                    "text": "A cool breeze drifted through the open window."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Smoke drifted across the room."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The boat drifted slowly downstream."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Smoke drifted up from the campfire."
                },
                {
                    "text": "We drifted with the current."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Cold and hungry, they drifted helplessly closer to the Arctic."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The smoke drifted away on the breeze."
                },
                {
                    "text": "A single snowflake drifted down and settled on the ground."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Voices drifted up through the floorboards."
                }
            ],
            "collocations": {
                "adverb": ["slowly", "helplessly", "downstream"],
                "preposition": ["from", "to", "towards/​toward"]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 2,
            "definition": "to move or go somewhere slowly",
            "sensetop": "+ adv./prep.",
            "cefr": "c1",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "The crowd drifted away from the scene of the accident."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Her gaze drifted around the room."
                },
                {
                    "text": "People began to drift back to their houses."
                },
                {
                    "text": "She drifted across the room to where we were standing."
                },
                {
                    "text": "He spent the day drifting aimlessly about the house."
                },
                {
                    "text": "They drifted around South-East Asia for a while and then headed into China."
                },
                {
                    "text": "He allowed his thoughts to drift back to his conversation with Carrie."
                },
                {
                    "text": "She finally drifted back to her home town."
                }
            ],
            "collocations": {
                "adverb": ["aimlessly", "gradually", "slowly"],
                "verb + drift": ["begin to", "seem to", "allow something to"],
                "preposition": ["about", "around", "round"]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 3,
            "definition": "to do something, happen or change without a particular plan or purpose",
            "sensetop": "(+ adv./prep.)",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "I didn't intend to be a teacher—I just drifted into it."
                },
                {
                    "text": "He hasn't decided what to do yet—he's just drifting."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The conversation drifted onto politics."
                },
                {
                    "text": "We seem to be drifting away from the point."
                }
            ],
            "collocations": {
                "adverb": ["aimlessly", "gradually", "slowly"],
                "verb + drift": ["begin to", "seem to", "allow something to"],
                "preposition": ["about", "around", "round"]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 4,
            "definition": "to go from one situation or state to another without realizing it",
            "sensetop": "drift in/into something",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "Finally she drifted into sleep."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The injured man tried to speak but soon drifted into unconsciousness."
                },
                {
                    "text": "He drifted in and out of consciousness."
                },
                {
                    "text": "She began to drift between sleep and wakefulness."
                }
            ],
            "collocations": {
                "adverb": ["aimlessly", "gradually", "slowly"],
                "verb + drift": ["begin to", "seem to", "allow something to"],
                "preposition": ["about", "around", "round"]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 5,
            "definition": "to be blown into large piles by the wind",
            "cefr": "c1",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "drifting sand"
                },
                {
                    "text": "Some roads are closed because of drifting."
                }
            ],
            "topics": ["Weather"],
            "collocations": {
                "adverb": ["slowly", "helplessly", "downstream"],
                "preposition": ["from", "to", "towards/​toward"]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 6,
            "definition": "to make something float somewhere",
            "sensetop": "+ adv./prep.",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "The logs are drifted downstream to the mill."
                }
            ]
        }
    ],
    "pronunciations": {
        "uk": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/drɪft/",
                "audio": "dr/drift/drift__gb_2.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/drɪfts/",
                "audio": "dr/drift/drifts__gb_1.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ˈdrɪftɪd/",
                "audio": "dr/drift/drifted__gb_1.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ˈdrɪftɪŋ/",
                "audio": "dr/drift/drifting__gb_1.mp3"
            }
        ],
        "us": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/drɪft/",
                "audio": "dr/drift/drift__us_1.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/drɪfts/",
                "audio": "dr/drift/drifts__us_1.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ˈdrɪftɪd/",
                "audio": "dr/drift/drifted__us_1.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ˈdrɪftɪŋ/",
                "audio": "dr/drift/drifting__us_1.mp3"
            }
        ]
    },
    "wordOrigin": null
}