Drift

The term "drift" generally means a slow and gradual movement or change from one position, condition, or direction to another.

In different contexts, it can mean:

• In everyday language: A slow change or shift in opinion, mood, or position.
• In physics or engineering: A slow movement caused by external forces, like wind or current causing an object to move gradually.
• In genetics: Genetic drift refers to random changes in gene frequencies in a population over time.
• In finance: Drift can describe the average expected change in a stock price or asset value over time.
• In language: The general meaning or gist of what someone is saying ("What's the drift of your argument?").