shift en · NOUN
Pronunciation
Etymology
The verb is from Middle English schiften, from Old English sċiftan (“to divide, separate into shares; appoint, ordain; arrange, organise”), from Proto-West Germanic *skiftijan, from Proto-Germanic *skiftijaną, *skiptijaną, from earlier *skipatjaną (“to organise, put in order”), from Proto-Indo-European *skeyb- (“to separate, divide, part”), from Proto-Indo-European *skey- (“to cut, divide, separate, part”). Cognate with Scots schift, skift (“to shift”), West Frisian skifte, skiftsje (“to sort”), Dutch schiften (“to sort, screen, winnow, part”), Low German schichten (“to stack, layer”), German schichten (“to stack, layer”), Swedish skifta (“to shift, change, exchange, vary”), Norwegian skifte (“to shift”), Icelandic skipta (“to switch”). See ship. The noun is from Middle English schyft, shyffte. Cognate with Dutch schift (“split, fissure”), German Schicht (“layer, shift”).
Meanings
- (countable, uncountable) A movement to do something, a beginning.
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(countable, uncountable) An act of shifting; a slight movement or change.
c. 1620-1626, Henry Wotton, letter to Nicholas Pey My going to Oxford was not merely for shift of air.
The generational shift Mr. Obama once embodied is, in fact, well under way, but it will not change Washington as quickly — or as harmoniously — as a lot of voters once hoped.
2012 November 7, Matt Bai, “Winning a Second Term, Obama Will Confront Familiar Headwinds”, in The New York Times, archived from the original on 03 Jun 2020:There was a shift in the political atmosphere.
- (countable, obsolete, uncountable) A share, a portion assigned on division.
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(countable, historical, uncountable) A type of women's undergarment of dress length worn under dresses or skirts, a slip or chemise.
At length, one night, when the company by some accident broke up much sooner than ordinary, so that the candles were not half burnt out, she was not able to resist the temptation, but resolved to have them some way or other. Accordingly, as soon as the hurry was over, and the servants, as she thought, all gone to sleep, she stole out of her bed, and went down stairs, naked to her shift as she was, with a design to steal them […]
1762, Charles Johnstone, The Reverie; or, A Flight to the Paradise of Fools, volume 2, Dublin: Printed by Dillon Chamberlaine, →OCLC, page 202:Some wear black shifts and flesh-coloured stockings; some with curly hair, dyed yellow, are dressed like little girls in short muslin frocks.
1919, W[illiam] Somerset Maugham, “chapter 47”, in The Moon and Sixpence, [New York, N.Y.]: Grosset & Dunlap Publishers […], →OCLC:No; without a gown, in a shift that was somewhat of the coarsest, and none of the cleanest, bedewed likewise with some odoriferous effluvia, the produce of the day's labour, with a pitchfork in her hand, Molly Seagrim approached.
1749, Henry Fielding, chapter X, in The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling, volume (please specify |volume=I to VI), London: A[ndrew] Millar, […], →OCLC, book V:Just last week she bought a new shift at the market.
- (countable, uncountable) A simple straight-hanging, loose-fitting dress.
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(countable, uncountable) A change of workers, now specifically a set group of workers or period of working time.
Work commenced at 2.30 p.m. on Saturday and continued without break until 4 a.m. on Monday morning, in the course of which three shifts of upwards of 90 men each and three steam cranes were employed.
1958 June 14, “New Track Layout and Marshalling Yard at Barking”, in Railway Magazine, page 428:We'll work three shifts a day till the job's done.
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(US, countable, uncountable) The gear mechanism in a motor vehicle.
Does it come with a stick-shift?
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(alt-of, countable, uncountable) Alternative letter-case form of Shift (“a modifier button of computer keyboards”).
alt of Shift
If you press shift-P, the preview display will change.
- (countable, uncountable) A control code or character used to change between different character sets.
- (countable, uncountable) A control code or character used to change between different character sets. ▸ An instance of the use of such a code or character.
- (countable, uncountable) A bit shift.
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(countable, uncountable) An infield shift.
Teams often use a shift against this lefty.
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(Ireland, often, qualifier:crude slang, uncountable, usually, with the definite article) The act of kissing passionately.
[If] I went on dates with these two [alcohols], right, you're a deep meaningful conversation with this one, … but this one? A shift and a finger and maybe you'd go home, do you know what I mean?
2024 December 16, Dermot Ward, in "Irish People Try Cheap Vs Expensive Alcohol 3&t=16m" (c. 16 minutes in), The TRY ChannelShe flicked her hair out of her eyes again and looked into yours as you put your hands on her waist. Then her tongue was in your mouth and yours was in hers. You were getting the shift. Ye were shifting.
2023, Colin Walsh, Kala:
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(archaic, countable, uncountable) A contrivance, a device to try when other methods fail.
If I get down, and do not break my limbs, I'll find a thousand shifts to get away: As good to die and go, as die and stay.
c. 1596 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Life and Death of King Iohn”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, (please specify the act number in uppercase Roman numerals, and the scene number in lowercase Roman numerals):
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(archaic, countable, uncountable) A trick, an artifice.
Little souls on little shifts rely.
1687, [John Dryden], “(please specify the page number)”, in The Hind and the Panther. A Poem, in Three Parts, 2nd edition, London: […] Jacob Tonson […], →OCLC:And if the boy have not a woman's gift To rain a shower of commanded tears, An onion will do well for such a shift
c. 1590–1592 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Taming of the Shrew”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, (please specify the act number in uppercase Roman numerals, and the scene number in lowercase Roman numerals):Reduced to pitiable shifts.
1856 February, [Thomas Babington] Macaulay, “Oliver Goldsmith”, in T[homas] F[lower] E[llis], editor, The Miscellaneous Writings and Speeches of Lord Macaulay, new edition, London: Longman, Green, Reader, & Dyer, published 1871, →OCLC:I'll find a thousand shifts to get away.
c. 1596 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Life and Death of King Iohn”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene iii]:
- (countable, uncountable) The extent, or arrangement, of the overlapping of plank, brick, stones, etc., that are placed in courses so as to break joints.
- (countable, uncountable) A breaking off and dislocation of a seam; a fault.
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(countable, uncountable) A mutation in which the DNA or RNA from two different sources (such as viruses or bacteria) combine.
This kind of change, called shift - or more memorably, 'viral sex' - tends to trigger a pandemic, because a radically different virus demands a radically different immune response, and that takes time to mobilise.
2017, Laura Spinney, Pale Rider: The Spanish Flu of 1918 and How it Changed the World, →ISBN:
- (countable, uncountable) In violin-playing, any position of the left hand except that nearest the nut.
- (countable, uncountable) A period of time in which one's consciousness resides in another reality, usually achieved through meditation or other means.
- (British, countable, slang, uncountable) be done; ruined
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| shifts | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Deriveds
shiftwork · stickshift · speedshift · blue shift · left shift · foreshift · shift break · gear shift · powershift · shifty · loanshift · coshift · dative shift · field shift · Lamb shift · upshift · shift lever · stick shift · overshift · hot shift · shiftless · sound shift · frequency-shift keying · language shift · Purkinje shift · paradigm shift · shift in · seismic shift · continental shift · Bezold-Brücke shift · makeshift · shift out · midshift · rankshift · frameshift · frequency shift keying · make-shift · work shift · lift and shift · shift lead · shift and drift · undershift · shift work · chloride shift · third shift · second shift · shiftmate · allylic shift · manshift · shiftworker · Compton shift · modal shift · multishift · shift register · shift dress · phaseshift · isotope shift · autoshift · tax shift · supershift · hoot owl shift · shift stick · semantic shift · first shift · subshift · airshift · lobster shift · whiteshift · Shift JIS · backshift · redshift · lightshift · red shift · shiftogram · tilt-shift · blueshift · shift key · put a shift in · Doppler shift · ovulatory shift hypothesis · shiftlike · mass shift · downshift · chain shift · phase-shift keying · phase shift keying · you're only as good as your last shift · phosphoshift · vibe shift · money shift · right shift · shiftful · shift lock · timeshift · chemical shift · twilight shift
Hyponyms
night shift · redshift · split shift · make shift · locking shift · wind shift · antigenic shift · blueshift · graveyard shift · day shift · swing shift
Synonyms
Translations (176)
ja シフトキー (button on a keyboard) · fi vuoro (change of workers) · hu műszak (change of workers) · de Shift (button on a keyboard) · ru переключе́ние (gear mechanism in a motor vehicle) · nl ploeg (change of workers) · pt turno (change of workers) · fr touche majuscule (button on a keyboard) · sl premik (act of shifting) · it cambio (change of workers) · lv maiņa (change of workers) · sh smȅna (change of workers) · mk смена (change of workers) · te బదిలీ (change of workers) · tr vardiya (change of workers) · it cambio (gear mechanism in a motor vehicle) · es conmutación (act of shifting) · pt desvio (act of shifting) · az iş növbəsi (change of workers) · cmn 輪班 /轮班 (change of workers) · pt câmbio (gear mechanism in a motor vehicle) · es turno (change of workers) · fa-ira نُوْبَت (change of workers) · ur نَوبَت (change of workers) · tr kaydırma (act of shifting) · de Schaltung (gear mechanism in a motor vehicle) · ko 시프트 (change of workers) · de Hochstelltaste (button on a keyboard) · id gigi (gear mechanism in a motor vehicle) · ro schimbare (act of shifting) · ko 시프트 키 (button on a keyboard) · cmn 班 (change of workers) · uk змі́на (change of workers) · sh смје̏на (change of workers) · hi पाली (change of workers) · prs نَوْبَت (change of workers) · ko 시프트 (button on a keyboard) · ro schimb (change of workers) · sk zmena (change of workers) · he מִשְׁמֶרֶת (change of workers) · qu mit'a (change of workers) · pl zmiana (change of workers) · sv växel (gear mechanism in a motor vehicle) · hi स्थानांतरण (act of shifting) · es desviación (act of shifting) · fr shift (change of workers) · is vakt (change of workers) · id shift (button on a keyboard) · de Shifttaste (button on a keyboard) · sl izmena (change of workers) · tl tanda (change of workers) · fr quart (change of workers) · es mayús (button on a keyboard) · sw shifti (change of workers) · nb skift (change of workers) · it maiuscolo (button on a keyboard) · ja 交代 (change of workers) · es transmudación (act of shifting) · bg превклю́чване (gear mechanism in a motor vehicle) · sv skifttangent (button on a keyboard) · ja シフト (button on a keyboard) · pt troca (act of shifting) · uz smena (change of workers) · id persneling (gear mechanism in a motor vehicle) · tg смена (change of workers) · fr équipe (change of workers) · tr vites (gear mechanism in a motor vehicle) · cs posuv (act of shifting) · ota نوبت (change of workers) · vi sự chuyển (act of shifting) · sq turn (change of workers) · eo registrumo (button on a keyboard) · is skiptihnappur (button on a keyboard) · az smen (change of workers) · ru передвиже́ние (act of shifting) · es jornal (change of workers) · fa-ira شیفْت (change of workers) · es tecla shift (button on a keyboard) · da skifte (change of workers) · ru сдвиг (act of shifting) · fi työvuoro (change of workers) · ru измене́ние (act of shifting) · tr üst karakter tuşu (button on a keyboard) · fi shift (button on a keyboard) · ru шифт (button on a keyboard) · ar نَوْبَة (change of workers) · pt shift (button on a keyboard) · es jornada (change of workers) · hu váltó (gear mechanism in a motor vehicle) · it maiusc (button on a keyboard) · th กะ (change of workers) · es desplazamiento (act of shifting) · bg смя́на (change of workers) · cmn 換檔鍵 /换档键 (button on a keyboard) · ko 교대 (change of workers) · ru смеще́ние (act of shifting) · de Verlagerung (act of shifting) · ru переключе́ние переда́ч (gear mechanism in a motor vehicle) · de Umschalten (button on a keyboard) · bg шифт (button on a keyboard) · el βάρδια (change of workers) · es transmudamiento (act of shifting) · nl ploegenstelsel (change of workers) · et vahetus (change of workers) · sv skifte (act of shifting) · nl ploegendienst (change of workers) · fr vitesse (gear mechanism in a motor vehicle) · sv pass (change of workers) · es tecla mayúsculas (button on a keyboard) · de Umschalttaste (button on a keyboard) · de Schicht (change of workers) · it turno (change of workers) · mi mahinga (change of workers) · sh сме̏на (change of workers) · sv arbetspass (change of workers) · de Verschiebung (act of shifting) · ky смена (change of workers) · cs směna (change of workers) · es tecla mayús (button on a keyboard) · sk posuv (act of shifting) · fi vaihteisto (gear mechanism in a motor vehicle) · pt mudança (act of shifting) · lt pamaina (change of workers) · sv arbetsskift (change of workers) · fr poste (change of workers) · it mutamento (act of shifting) · fi vaihto (button on a keyboard) · vi sự thay đổi (act of shifting) · bg преме́стване (act of shifting) · fr décalage (act of shifting) · de Verstellung (act of shifting) · vi sự giao ban (act of shifting) · vi phiên (change of workers) · it spostamento (act of shifting) · hy հերթափոխություն (change of workers) · sv skift (button on a keyboard) · sl šiht (change of workers) · sv skift (change of workers) · ur شِفْٹ (change of workers) · id penjelmaan (act of shifting) · fi muutos (act of shifting) · sl zamik (act of shifting) · eu txanda (change of workers) · pt marcha (gear mechanism in a motor vehicle) · vi ban (change of workers) · sk posun (act of shifting) · ru кла́виша шифт (button on a keyboard) · gl quenda (change of workers) · sh smjȅna (change of workers) · be зме́на (change of workers) · de Gangschaltung (gear mechanism in a motor vehicle) · ka ცვლა (change of workers) · id giliran (change of workers) · nn skift (change of workers) · ru перемеще́ние (act of shifting) · fa شیفت (button on a keyboard) · cs posun (act of shifting) · hu váltás (act of shifting) · sv byte (act of shifting) · tr shift tuşu (button on a keyboard) · hy դարձ (button on a keyboard) · tr değiştirme (act of shifting) · fi siirtyminen (act of shifting) · es deslizamiento (act of shifting) · pl przesunięcie (act of shifting) · hi बारी (change of workers) · mn ээлж (change of workers) · sq ndërresë (change of workers) · fi siirto (act of shifting) · cmn 移位鍵 /移位键 (button on a keyboard) · te మార్పు (act of shifting) · es cambio (act of shifting) · ja 入れ替え (change of workers) · ru сме́на (change of workers) · bg отме́стване (act of shifting) · es cambio (gear mechanism in a motor vehicle)