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Definition of Shift in English :

Define Shift in English

Shift meaning in English

Meaning of Shift in English

Pronunciation of Shift in English

Shift pronunciation in English

Pronounce Shift in English

Shift

see synonyms of shift

Noun

1. displacement, shift

an event in which something is displaced without rotation

2. shift, transformation, transmutation

a qualitative change

3. duty period, shift, work shift

the time period during which you are at work

4. shift, switch, switching

the act of changing one thing or position for another

Example Sentences:
'his switch on abortion cost him the election'

5. shift, shifting

the act of moving from one place to another

Example Sentences:
'his constant shifting disrupted the class'

6. break, fault, faulting, fracture, geological fault, shift

(geology) a crack in the earth's crust resulting from the displacement of one side with respect to the other

Example Sentences:
'they built it right over a geological fault'
'he studied the faulting of the earth's crust'

7. shift

a crew of workers who work for a specific period of time

8. shift, shift key

the key on the typewriter keyboard that shifts from lower-case letters to upper-case letters

9. chemise, shift, shimmy, slip, teddy

a woman's sleeveless undergarment

10. chemise, sack, shift

a loose-fitting dress hanging straight from the shoulders without a waist

Verb

11. change over, shift, switch

make a shift in or exchange of

Example Sentences:
'First Joe led; then we switched'

12. dislodge, reposition, shift

change place or direction

Example Sentences:
'Shift one's position'

13. shift, transfer

move around

Example Sentences:
'transfer the packet from his trouser pockets to a pocket in his jacket'

14. agitate, budge, shift, stir

move very slightly

Example Sentences:
'He shifted in his seat'

15. shift

move from one setting or context to another

Example Sentences:
'shift the emphasis'
'shift one's attention'

16. shift

change in quality

Example Sentences:
'His tone shifted'

17. shift

move and exchange for another

Example Sentences:
'shift the date for our class reunion'

18. careen, shift, tilt, wobble

move sideways or in an unsteady way

Example Sentences:
'The ship careened out of control'

19. lurch, pitch, shift

move abruptly

Example Sentences:
'The ship suddenly lurched to the left'

20. shift

use a shift key on a keyboard

Example Sentences:
'She could not shift so all her letters are written in lower case'

21. shift

change phonetically as part of a systematic historical change

Example Sentences:
'Grimm showed how the consonants shifted'

22. shift

change gears

Example Sentences:
'you have to shift when you go down a steep hill'

23. change, shift, switch

lay aside, abandon, or leave for another

Example Sentences:
'switch to a different brand of beer'
'She switched psychiatrists'
'The car changed lanes'

WordNet Lexical Database for English. Princeton University. 2010.

Shift

see synonyms of shift
verb
1. 
to move or cause to move from one place or position to another
2. (transitive)
to change for another or others
3. 
to change (gear) in a motor vehicle
4. (intransitive)
(of a sound or set of sounds) to alter in a systematic way
5. (intransitive)
to provide for one's needs (esp in the phrase shift for oneself)
6. (intransitive)
to proceed by indirect or evasive methods
7. 
to remove or be removed, esp with difficulty
no detergent can shift these stains
8. (intransitive) slang
to move quickly
9. (transitive) computing
to move (bits held in a store location) to the left or right
noun
10. 
the act or an instance of shifting
11. 
a group of workers who work for a specific period
12. 
the period of time worked by such a group
13. 
an expedient, contrivance, or artifice
14. 
the displacement of rocks, esp layers or seams in mining, at a geological fault
15. 
an underskirt or dress with little shaping

Collins English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers

Shift

see synonyms of shift
verb transitive
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.  Chiefly Dialectal
to change (clothes)
verb intransitive
6. 
a. 
to change position, direction, form, character, etc.
b. 
to undergo phonetic change
7. 
to get along; manage
to shift for oneself
8. 
to use tricky, evasive, or expedient methods
9.  US
to change from one gear arrangement to another
10. 
in typing, to change from small letters, etc. to capitals, etc. by depressing a key (shift key)
11.  Chiefly Dialectal
to change one's clothing
noun
12. 
the act of shifting from one person, place, position, etc. to another; change; transfer; substitution
13. 
a means or plan of conduct, esp. one followed in an emergency or difficulty; expedient; stratagem
14. 
a deceitful scheme or method; evasion; trick
15.  US
gearshift
16. 
a. 
a group of people working in relay with another or other groups
the night shift
b. 
the regular work period of such a group
17. 
a change in direction, as of the wind
18. 
a.  Rare
a chemise, or woman's slip
b. 
a loose dress that hangs straight with no waistline
19.  Chiefly Dialectal
a change of clothing
20.  US, American Football
a regrouping of offensive or defensive players before the ball is put in play
21.  Linguistics
a phonetic change or series of changes that alters the system of sounds in a language
see also Great Vowel Shift
22.  Mining
a fault or displacement, as in a vein
23.  Music
a change in the position of the hand, as on the fingerboard of a violin
24.  Physics
a change in the observed frequency of a wave, as of light or sound

Webster’s New World College Dictionary, 4th Edition. Copyright © 2010 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.

Shift

see synonyms of shift
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.
d. Geology See fault.
e. Computers Movement of characters in a register to the left or right, as of the bits in a byte.
7. The act or an 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.

The American Heritage ® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2018 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

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