For those new to fly fishing how would our more experienced members explain or describe how to fish flies on a dead drift ?

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Tight Lines. :)

How would you describe it?

In rivers, fishing with a dead drift means that the fly (or flies) move at the speed and in the direction that they would naturally move if they weren't tethered to the end of a line and leader.

How'd I do?

Grouse

perhaps the creation of slack line/leader in opposition to the current, but then there are other ways too, good question, wheres terry.

Drag free drift is perhaps a clearer way of expressing the same thing.
The fly moves at EXACTLY the same speed and direction as the current.
As Grouse said it moves naturally as if untethered.
The slightest movement caused by line, leader or any resistance to the fly moving freely in the current results in either obvious or micro drag which more often than not renders the artificial fly unattractive to the fish.