The phrase “do you get my drift?” means “Do you understand the general idea, insinuation, or implication of what I’m saying, even if I haven’t explicitly stated it?”. It’s a way to ask if someone has followed your train of thought or grasped the underlying meaning of your words.

Here’s a little about its origin:

•  Early 16th Century: The word “drift” in this context began to be used figuratively to mean the general course, tenor, or intention of speech or writing. This sense of “drift” is recorded as early as 1526.

•  Connection to “Drive”: The word “drift” itself has roots in “drive,” which in the 13th century had meanings related to moving something with force or proceeding with a definite intention. This sense of intentional direction informed the meaning of “drift”.

•  Later Nautical Influence: While some sources suggest a nautical origin (sailors understanding ocean currents ), this seems to have come later. The idea of a ship “drifting” (moving in a particular direction even if not explicitly steered) later reinforced the idiom’s meaning of understanding an underlying direction or intention.