expressions - Meaning and origin of "if you catch my drift"


What does the expression if you catch my drift mean? Where does it originate? I've heard it in the context to signify something like if you know what I mean.



Answer



The part "my drift" means there is a chain of thoughts or an inside meaning that is not clearly defined. the expression is used whenever you think the listener may be confused or not follow your main idea.


The origin of the word "drift", according to OED, was in the 1520s:



drift (n.) Sense of "what one is getting at" is from 1520s. Related: Drifted; drifting.



I can't know for sure the origin of the expression "if you catch my drift".


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