shift (sh ft)v. shift·ed, shift·ing, shifts v.tr.1. To exchange (one thing) for another of the same class: shifted assignments among the students. 2. To move or transfer from one place or position to another. 3. To alter (position or place). 4. To change (gears), as in an automobile. 5. Linguistics To alter phonetically as part of a systematic historical change. v.intr.1. To change position, direction, place, or form. 2. a. To provide for one's own needs; get along: "See me safe up: for my coming down, I can shift for myself" Thomas More. b. To get along by tricky or evasive means. 3. To change gears, as when driving an automobile. 4. Linguistics To be altered as part of a systematic historical change. Used of speech sounds. 5. To use a shift key. n.1. A change from one person or configuration to another; a substitution. 2. a. A group of workers that relieve another on a regular schedule. b. The working period of such a group: worked the night shift. 3. a. A means to an end; an expedient. b. A stratagem; a trick. 4. A change in direction: a shift in the wind. 5. A change in attitude, judgment, or emphasis. 6. A change in position, as: a. Music A change of the hand position in playing the violin or a similar instrument. b. Football A rearrangement of players from one formation to another just prior to the snap of the ball. c. Baseball A rearrangement of one or more fielders for improved defense against a particular hitter. e. Computer Science Movement of characters in a register to the left or right, as of the bits in a byte. 7. An act or instance of using a shift key. 8. Physics A change in wavelength, causing a movement of a spectral band or line. 9. Linguistics a. A systematic change of the phonetic or phonemic structure of a language. b. Functional shift. 10. a. A loosely fitting dress that hangs straight from the shoulder; a chemise. b. A woman's undergarment; a slip or chemise.
[Middle English shiften, from Old English sciftan, to arrange, divide.]
shift er n. |
shift Verb 1. to move from one place or position to another 2. to pass (blame or responsibility) onto someone else: he was trying to shift the blame to me 3. to change (gear) in a motor vehicle 4. to remove or be removed: no detergent can shift these stains 5. US to change for another or others 6. Slang to move quickly Noun 1. the act or an instance of shifting 2. a. a group of workers who work during a specific period b. the period of time worked by such a group 3. a method or scheme 4. a loose-fitting straight underskirt or dress [Old English sciftan]
ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms | Noun | 1. |  shift - an event in which something is displaced without rotationamplitude - (physics) the maximum displacement of a periodic wave luxation - displacement or misalignment of a joint or organ | | 2. |  shift - a qualitative changealteration, change, modification - an event that occurs when something passes from one state or phase to another; "the change was intended to increase sales"; "this storm is certainly a change for the worse"; "the neighborhood had undergone few modifications since his last visit years ago" population shift - a change in the relative numbers of the different groups of individuals making up a population pyrolysis - transformation of a substance produced by the action of heat sublimation - (chemistry) a change directly from the solid to the gaseous state without becoming liquid | | 3. | shift - the time period during which you are at workhours - a period of time assigned for work; "they work long hours" workday, working day - the amount of time that a worker must work for an agreed daily wage; "they work an 8-hour day" go, spell, tour, turn - a time for working (after which you will be relieved by someone else); "it's my go"; "a spell of work" trick - a period of work or duty watch - a period of time (4 or 2 hours) during which some of a ship's crew are on duty day shift - the work shift during the day (as 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.) split shift - a working shift divided into two periods of time with several hours in between | | 4. | shift - the act of changing one thing or position for another; "his switch on abortion cost him the election"change - the action of changing something; "the change of government had no impact on the economy"; "his change on abortion cost him the election" | | 5. | shift - the act of moving from one place to another; "his constant shifting disrupted the class"movement, move, motion - the act of changing location from one place to another; "police controlled the motion of the crowd"; "the movement of people from the farms to the cities"; "his move put him directly in my path" | | 6. |  shift - (geology) a crack in the earth's crust resulting from the displacement of one side with respect to the other; "they built it right over a geological fault"; "he studied the faulting of the earth's crust"geology - a science that deals with the history of the earth as recorded in rocks fault line - (geology) line determined by the intersection of a geological fault and the earth's surface inclined fault - a geological fault in which one side is above the other strike-slip fault - a geological fault in which one of the adjacent surfaces appears to have moved horizontally | | 7. | shift - a crew of workers who work for a specific period of timeevening shift - workers who work during the evening (as 4 p.m. to midnight) relay - a crew of workers who relieve another crew | | 8. | shift - the key on the typewriter keyboard that shifts from lower-case letters to upper-case letterskey - a lever (as in a keyboard) that actuates a mechanism when depressed | | 9. |  shift - a woman's sleeveless undergarment | | 10. | shift - a loose-fitting dress hanging straight from the shoulders without a waistdress, frock - a one-piece garment for a woman; has skirt and bodice | | Verb | 1. | shift - make a shift in or exchange of; "First Joe led; then we switched"alter, change, modify - cause to change; make different; cause a transformation; "The advent of the automobile may have altered the growth pattern of the city"; "The discussion has changed my thinking about the issue" back - shift to a counterclockwise direction; "the wind backed" veer - shift to a clockwise direction; "the wind veered" | | 2. | shift - change place or direction; "Shift one's position"move, displace - cause to move or shift into a new position or place, both in a concrete and in an abstract sense; "Move those boxes into the corner, please"; "I'm moving my money to another bank"; "The director moved more responsibilities onto his new assistant" beat down - dislodge from a position; "She beat the dealer down to a much better price" | | 3. |  shift - move around; "transfer the packet from his trouser pockets to a pocket in his jacket"move, displace - cause to move or shift into a new position or place, both in a concrete and in an abstract sense; "Move those boxes into the corner, please"; "I'm moving my money to another bank"; "The director moved more responsibilities onto his new assistant" transpose - transfer a quantity from one side of an equation to the other side reversing its sign, in order to maintain equality shunt - transfer to another track, of trains carry - transfer (a number, cipher, or remainder) to the next column or unit's place before or after, in addition or multiplication; "put down 5 and carry 2" shuffle - move about, move back and forth; "He shuffled his funds among different accounts in various countries so as to avoid the IRS" transship - transfer for further transportation from one ship or conveyance to another bunker - transfer cargo from a ship to a warehouse remove, transfer - shift the position or location of, as for business, legal, educational, or military purposes; "He removed his children to the countryside"; "Remove the troops to the forest surrounding the city"; "remove a case to another court" translocate - transfer (a chromosomal segment) to a new position | | 4. | shift - move very slightly; "He shifted in his seat"move - move so as to change position, perform a nontranslational motion; "He moved his hand slightly to the right" | | 5. | shift - move from one setting or context to another; "shift the emphasis"; "shift one's attention"alter, change, modify - cause to change; make different; cause a transformation; "The advent of the automobile may have altered the growth pattern of the city"; "The discussion has changed my thinking about the issue" transpose, transplant, transfer - transfer from one place or period to another; "The ancient Greek story was transplanted into Modern America" | | 6. | shift - change in quality; "His tone shifted"change - undergo a change; become different in essence; losing one's or its original nature; "She changed completely as she grew older"; "The weather changed last night" | | 7. | shift - move and exchange for another; "shift the date for our class reunion"interchange, substitute, replace, exchange - put in the place of another; switch seemingly equivalent items; "the con artist replaced the original with a fake Rembrandt"; "substitute regular milk with fat-free milk"; "synonyms can be interchanged without a changing the context's meaning" | | 8. | shift - move sideways or in an unsteady way; "The ship careened out of control"move - move so as to change position, perform a nontranslational motion; "He moved his hand slightly to the right" | | 9. | shift - move abruptly; "The ship suddenly lurched to the left"move - move so as to change position, perform a nontranslational motion; "He moved his hand slightly to the right" | | 10. | shift - use a shift key on a keyboard; "She could not shift so all her letters are written in lower case"type, typewrite - write by means of a keyboard with types; "type the acceptance letter, please" | | 11. | shift - change phonetically as part of a systematic historical change; "Grimm showed how the consonants shifted"phonetics - the branch of acoustics concerned with speech processes including its production and perception and acoustic analysis change - undergo a change; become different in essence; losing one's or its original nature; "She changed completely as she grew older"; "The weather changed last night" | | 12. | shift - change gears; "you have to shift when you go down a steep hill"switch, change, shift - lay aside, abandon, or leave for another; "switch to a different brand of beer"; "She switched psychiatrists"; "The car changed lanes" | | 13. | shift - lay aside, abandon, or leave for another; "switch to a different brand of beer"; "She switched psychiatrists"; "The car changed lanes"exchange, convert, commute, change - exchange or replace with another, usually of the same kind or category; "Could you convert my dollars into pounds?"; "He changed his name"; "convert centimeters into inches"; "convert holdings into shares" change - change clothes; put on different clothes; "Change before you go to the opera" transition - make or undergo a transition (from one state or system to another); "The airline transitioned to more fuel-efficient jets"; "The adagio transitioned into an allegro" shift - change gears; "you have to shift when you go down a steep hill" break - change suddenly from one tone quality or register to another; "Her voice broke to a whisper when she started to talk about her children" leap, jump - pass abruptly from one state or topic to another; "leap into fame"; "jump to a conclusion"; "jump from one thing to another" cut - make an abrupt change of image or sound; "cut from one scene to another" break - change directions suddenly |
shift  Translations shift [ʃɪft] n (= change) → cambio; the wind has shifted to the south → el viento ha virado al sur;
 shift [ʃɪft] n (= change) → changement m (= work period); période f de travail [ of workers]; équipe f, poste m
 shift [ʃɪft] n ( change) → Änderung f; (stain) → herausbekommen a shift in demand ( Comm) → eine Nachfrageverschiebung
 shift [ʃɪft] n (= change) → cambiamento; [ of workers] → turnovi → spostarsi, muoversi; the wind has shifted to the south → il vento si è girato e soffia da sud
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