Definition

1. Verb:

   • To move gently and lightly through the air or over a surface, often carried by a current of air or water.
   • To cause something to move in this gentle, floating manner.

2. Noun:

   • A gentle movement or flow of air, scent, or sound.
   • A light, carrying movement or the act of wafting.

Usage

• Verb (Intransitive): Describes the movement itself.
  • The scent of roses wafted from the garden.
  • Smoke wafted up from the chimney.
• Verb (Transitive): Describes causing something to move gently.
  • The breeze wafted the curtains into the room.
  • She wafted the fan to cool her face.

Examples

• Verb:
  • A delicious smell of baking bread wafted through the house.
  • The sound of distant music wafted on the evening air.
  • He wafted the document under her nose so she could smell the old paper.
• Noun:
  • A waft of perfume lingered in the hallway.
  • A cool waft from the air conditioner provided relief.

Advanced Usage

• "Waft over/across/through": Often used with prepositions to indicate the path of movement.
  • The melody wafted over the lake.
  • A feeling of calm wafted through the audience.
• Used figuratively to describe the gentle spread of intangible things like feelings or ideas.
  • A sense of nostalgia wafted from the old photographs.

Variants and Related Words

• Waftage (n, rare): The act of wafting or the state of being wafted.
• Wafter (n, historical): A person who conveys signals, especially with a flag.

Synonyms

• Verb: Drift, float, glide, breeze, carry.
• Noun: Whiff, puff, breath, gust (gentle), drift.

Phrasal Verbs

• Waft away: To be carried off gently by air or water.
  • The dandelion seeds wafted away on the wind.

Related Idioms

• To catch a waft of something: To briefly perceive a scent or sound.
  • As I passed the bakery, I caught a waft of fresh cinnamon rolls.

Noun

1. a long flag; often tapering

Verb

1. blow gently
   • A breeze wafted through the door
2. be driven or carried along, as by the air
   • Sounds wafted into the room