(from someone ) Fig. [for someone] to begin to be less of a friend and more like a stranger. (See also (from someone or something)">drift away (from someone or something).) He began drifting away from me a few months ago, andlhaven'tseenhim at all in the last three weeks.

(from someone or something ) [for floating people, animals, or things] to move away from a particular person or thing, on the surface of water. (See also .) We watched the boat drift away from us. He was drifting away on the ice block and there was nothing we could do.