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shift Definition

shift (s̸hift)

transitive verb

  1. to move or transfer from one person, place, or position to another to shift the blame
  2. to replace by another or others; change or exchange
  3. to change (gears) from one arrangement to another in driving a motor vehicle
  4. to change phonetically, as by Grimm's law
  5. Now Chiefly Dial. to change (clothes)

Etymology: ME schiften < OE sciftan, to divide, separate < IE *skeib- > ship

intransitive verb

    1. to change position, direction, form, character, etc.
    2. to undergo phonetic change
  2. to get along; manage to shift for oneself
  3. to use tricky, evasive, or expedient methods
  4. ☆ to change from one gear arrangement to another
  5. in typing, to change from small letters, etc. to capitals, etc. by depressing a key (shift key)
  6. Now Chiefly Dial. to change one's clothing

noun

  1. the act of shifting from one person, place, position, etc. to another; change; transfer; substitution
  2. a means or plan of conduct, esp. one followed in an emergency or difficulty; expedient; stratagem
  3. a deceitful scheme or method; evasion; trick
  4. ☆ gearshift
    1. a group of people working in relay with another or other groups the night shift
    2. the regular work period of such a group
  6. a change in direction, as of the wind
    1. Now Rare a chemise, or woman's slip
    2. a loose dress that hangs straight with no waistline
  8. Now Chiefly Dial. a change of clothing
  9. ☆ Football a regrouping of offensive or defensive players before the ball is put in play
  10. Linguis. a phonetic change or series of changes that alters the system of sounds in a language
  11. Mining a fault or displacement, as in a vein
  12. Music a change in the position of the hand, as on the fingerboard of a violin
  13. Physics a change in the observed frequency of a wave, as of light or sound

shift Related Forms

shift′·able adjective shift′er noun

shift Idioms

make shift

to manage or do the best one can (with whatever means are at hand)

shift Synonyms

shift

n.

  1. A change

    transfer, transformation, substitution, displacement, fault, alteration, variation; see also change 2.

  2. A working period

    turn, spell, stint, working time; see time 1.

  3. Those who work a shift, sense 2

    gang, squad, relay, group, workmen; see also team 1.

make shift to

contrive to, find a way to, devise a means of; see manage, succeed 1.

shift Synonyms

shift

v.

  1. To change position

    slip, budge, fault, move, move over, turn, stir; see also change 4.

  2. To cause to shift, sense 1

    displace, remove, substitute; see change 1, exchange 1.

  3. To put in gear

    change gears, double-clutch, downshift, split-shift, put in drive; see also drive 3.

  4. To manage

    get along, shift for oneself, get by; see endure 2.

shift Usage Examples

Object

  • emphasis: However, in this article the intention is to shift the emphasis toward more practical aspects of the topic.
  • blame: Scapegoats The story shows how ready some people are to shift the blame for their own actions onto someone else.
  • burden: There seems no realistic prospect of shifting the burden of fighting to Iraqi or other allies.
  • goalpost: COSLA ( the employers ) have continuously shifted the goalposts in response to UNISON's three year old claim.
  • cultivation: Shifting cultivation may not completely remove this diversity but it severely reduces it.
  • sand: Those who would silence doubt are filled with fear; the house of their spirit is built on shifting sands.

Preposition: in

emphasis: One of the major impacts of this has been the shift in emphasis from structure to processes.

Adjective modifier

  • modal: Where investment and training have taken place there is evidence of customer growth and modal shift from car.
  • seismic: However, there has been a seismic shift in recent years and it is now the consumer that calls the shots.
  • fundamental: Has there been a fundamental shift in that position?
  • gradual: Despite recent criticism of LookSmart and their gradual shift to a Pay-per-Click model, a regional listing is still worth the money.
  • demographic: The real change is in the demographic shift that has taken place in global Christianity.
  • dramatic: But in recent years there's been a dramatic shift in who benefits from trade.

Modifies a noun

  • rota: The position requires an individual who is flexible with hours and able to participate in a shift rota if required.
  • pattern: The annual Workplace Report shift pay survey gives details of over 200 shift pay rates across the five main shift patterns.

Noun used with modifier

  • paradigm: What the paradigm shift requires is a writing proper to making.
  • graveyard: Hmm, that's the graveyard shift of conference week isn't it?
  • eight-hour: Once the horizontal shafts were established, they were worked 24 hours a day with three, eight-hour shifts.
  • phase: Changes are non-linear - systems change through phase shifts - radical transformations of kind rather than incremental development.
  • night: They used to work in the mills, on the night shift.