Expressions used in Everyday Spoken English in Social and Professional contexts
catch my drift
catch drift
Meaning(s)
1) understand the general meaning of the information provided
How to MemorizePopularity LowProfessional MediumSocial
do you catch my drift?
Analysis
If you 'catch someone's drift', you understand the main points of what they are trying to imply or communicate. This phrase is often used in situations where the speaker cannot be direct about what they are trying to say: "Do you catch my drift?" A similar colloquial phrase is 'Do you get me?'. This can be used in social and professional contexts, but it is quite informal, so it might be best to avoid it in professional situations.
Social Examples (Advance)
The Professor explained the complex scientific experiment, and then asked the class,"Do you catch my drift?"
"I don't really think they caught my drift," said the woman after her presentation.