What is drift?

Some articles on drift:

SY Aurora's Drift - Drift - Release
... On 14 March Aurora finally cleared the pack, after a drift of 312 days covering 1,600 nautical miles (3,000 km) ...

Convection–diffusion Equation - In Semiconductor Physics
... In semiconductor physics, this equation is called the drift–diffusion equation ... The word "drift" is related to drift current and drift velocity ...

Lead (sea Ice) - Lead Formation
... Otherwise, it is called drift ice and is free to move with currents and winds ... This is why leads typically belong to the drift ice zone ... Depending on the state of stress within the drift zone, leads may also close up ...

Silicon Drift Detector - Working Principle
... Like other solid state X-ray detectors, silicon drift detectors measure the energy of an incoming photon by the amount of ionization it produces in the detector material ... of ring electrodes that causes charge carriers to 'drift' to a small collection electrode ... The 'drift' concept of the SDD (which was imported from particle physics) allows significantly higher count rates coupled with a very low capacitance of the detector ...

Drift, Cornwall
... Drift is a village on the A30 road in west Cornwall, United Kingdom ... of standing megaliths called the 'The Sisters' or 'Higher Drift Menhirs' ... Drift Reservoir is immediately north of the village ...

More definitions of "drift":

(noun): A general tendency to change (as of opinion).
Synonyms: trend, movement

(verb): Be subject to fluctuation.
Example: "The stock market drifted upward"

(noun): Something that is heaped up by the wind or by water currents.

(noun): General meaning or tenor.
Example: "Caught the drift of the conversation"
Synonyms: purport

(verb): Move in an unhurried fashion.
Example: "The unknown young man drifted among the invited guests"

(verb): Wander from a direct course or at random.
Example: "Don't drift from the set course"
Synonyms: stray, err

(verb): Cause to be carried by a current.
Example: "Drift the boats downstream"

(verb): Be piled up in banks or heaps by the force of wind or a current.
Example: "Snow drifting several feet high"; "sand drifting like snow"

(noun): A process of linguistic change over a period of time.

(noun): A force that moves something along.
Synonyms: impetus, impulsion

(noun): A horizontal (or nearly horizontal) passageway in a mine.
Example: "They dug a drift parallel with the vein"
Synonyms: heading, gallery

(noun): The gradual departure from an intended course due to external influences (as a ship or plane).

(verb): Drive slowly and far afield for grazing.
Example: "Drift the cattle herds westwards"

(verb): Vary or move from a fixed point or course.
Example: "Stock prices are drifting higher"

(verb): Live unhurriedly, irresponsibly, or freely.
Synonyms: freewheel

(verb): Move about aimlessly or without any destination, often in search of food or employment.
Example: "The laborers drift from one town to the next"
Synonyms: roll, wander, swan, stray, tramp, roam, cast, ramble, rove, range, vagabond