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drift(
drihft
)An intransitive verb is one that does not require a direct object (e.g., The man sneezed.).
The hot air balloon drifted for a week before it was finally found.El aerostata estuvo a la deriva por una semana hasta que por fin fue encontrado.
b. desviarse de rumbo
The navigator determined with the sextant that they had drifted to the south.El oficial de navegación determinó con el sextante que se habían desviado de rumbo hacia el sur.
2. (to wander)
a. vagar
The poet spent two years drifting around the country and writing about his encounters.El poeta pasó dos años vagando por el país y escribiendo sobre sus encuentros.
b. ir sin rumbo
Police found the man drifting around the woods; he couldn't even remember his own name.La policía encontró al hombre yendo sin rumbo por el bosque; ni siquiera recordaba su propio nombre.
3. (figurative) (to be without purpose; often used with "along")
A phrase used as a figure of speech or a word that is symbolic in meaning; metaphorical (e.g., carrot, bean).
a. ir sin rumbo
Bruce has been drifting since he lost his job last year; I think he's feeling a little lost.Bruce anda sin rumbo desde que perdió su trabajo el año pasado; creo que se siente un poco perdido.
b. ir a la deriva (figurative)
A phrase used as a figure of speech or a word that is symbolic in meaning; metaphorical (e.g., carrot, bean).
For a few years I felt I was drifting along, and then I decided that I wanted to be a painter.Por algunos años sentí que iba a la deriva, y entonces que decidí que quería ser pintor.
c. dejarse llevar (figurative)
A phrase used as a figure of speech or a word that is symbolic in meaning; metaphorical (e.g., carrot, bean).
Ben drifted through life, never finding a true home.Ben se dejó llevar por la vida, nunca encontrando un verdadero hogar.
4. (to pile up)
a. amontonarse
Snow drifted higher and higher in front of the door as the blizzard progressed.La nieve se amontonaba cada vez más alta frente a la puerta mientras progresaba la ventisca.
5. (figurative) (to become estranged; used with "apart" or "away")
A phrase used as a figure of speech or a word that is symbolic in meaning; metaphorical (e.g., carrot, bean).
a. irse separando
Gustavo and I were friends in elementary school, but we sort of drifted apart after that.Gustavo y yo fuimos amigos en la primaria, pero nos fuimos separando después de eso.
b. distanciarse
My parents drifted apart and it all ended in divorce.Mis padres se distanciaron y todo terminó en divorcio.
a. derivar en
Our youthful courtship drifted into marriage, but we're still together 50 years later.Nuestro noviazgo de juventud derivó en matrimonio, pero seguimos juntos 50 años después.
b. dejarse llevar
Though Lisa was only a volunteer writer, she drifted into the role of editor.Aunque Lisa era tan solo una escritora voluntaria, se dejó llevar hacia el rol de editora.
a. irse por las ramas
The senator drifted from the topic, and it became clear that he had no intention of answering the question.El senador se fue por las ramas, y quedó claro que no tenía la menor intención de contestar la pregunta.
b. derivar hacia
The meeting went over because our initial discussion drifted to other topics.La reunión terminó tarde porque nuestra discusión inicial derivó hacia otros temas.
A noun is a word referring to a person, animal, place, thing, feeling, or idea (e.g., man, dog, house).
8. (pile)
a. el ventisquero (M) (of snow)
(m) means that a noun is masculine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).
There were still drifts all over town, but the sidewalks were clear of snow.Todavía había ventisqueros por todo el pueblo, pero las aceras estaban libres de nieve.
b. el montón (M)
(m) means that a noun is masculine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).
A drift of sand formed around the entrance of the desert travelers' tent.Un montón de arena se apiló a la entrada de la tienda de campaña de los viajeros en el desierto.
9. (colloquial) (meaning)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
a. el sentido (M)
(m) means that a noun is masculine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).
The main drift of the story was that Cheo failed the class.El sentido general de la historia era que Cheo reprobó la clase.
b. no direct translation
This refers to an idiomatic word or phrase for which there is no word-for-word translation.
Paula told her son that he was a product of the milkman, but he didn't quite catch her drift.Paula le dijo a su hijo que era producto del lechero, pero él no captó lo que quería decir.
Speak clearly! I'm still not getting your drift.¡Habla claro! Todavía no te entiendo.
10. (navigation)
a. el movimiento (M)
(m) means that a noun is masculine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).
The navigator set a course, taking air pressure and the drift of the currents into account.El navegante fijó el rumbo, tomando en cuenta la presión barométrica y el movimiento de las corrientes.
b. la deriva (F)
(f) means that a noun is feminine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).
You have to lower the centerboard to prevent drift when you're sailing close hauled.Hay que bajar la orza para prevenir la deriva cuando navegas de bolina.
c. el cambio de dirección (M)
(m) means that a noun is masculine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).
The sailors were unaware of the drift of the boat in the fog.Los marineros no estaban conscientes del cambio de dirección del barco en la niebla.
11. (shift)
a. el cambio (M)
(m) means that a noun is masculine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).
We are experiencing a drift toward greater political polarization in this country.Estamos atravesando un cambio hacia una mayor polarización política en este país.
12. (migration)
a. el éxodo (M)
(m) means that a noun is masculine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).
The drift of black musicians from New Orleans up to Chicago brought blues and jazz to the city.El éxodo de músicos negros de Nueva Orleans hasta Chicago trajo blues y jazz a la ciudad.
b. la marcha (F)
(f) means that a noun is feminine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).
The state government is trying to counteract the drift of young people to other parts of the country.El gobierno estatal está tratando de contrarrestar la marcha de jóvenes hacia otras partes del país.
13. (geology)
a. la morrena (F)
(f) means that a noun is feminine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).
Over the years, layers and layers of drift accumulated in the bed of this valley.A lo largo de los años, capas y capas de morrena fueron acumulándose en el lecho de este valle.
A transitive verb is a verb that requires a direct object (e.g., I bought a book.).
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