Definition Definition

shift - Meaning and Examples

Meaning of 'shift' (Webster Dictionary)

1 . Shift [ v. t.]
- To divide; to distribute; to apportion.
- To change the place of; to move or remove from one place to another; as, to shift a burden from one shoulder to another; to shift the blame.
- To change the position of; to alter the bearings of; to turn; as, to shift the helm or sails.
- To exchange for another of the same class; to remove and to put some similar thing in its place; to change; as, to shift the clothes; to shift the scenes.
- To change the clothing of; -- used reflexively.
- To put off or out of the way by some expedient.
- The act of shifting.
- The act of putting one thing in the place of another, or of changing the place of a thing; change; substitution.
- Something frequently shifted; especially, a woman's under-garment; a chemise.
- The change of one set of workmen for another; hence, a spell, or turn, of work; also, a set of workmen who work in turn with other sets; as, a night shift.
- In building, the extent, or arrangement, of the overlapping of plank, brick, stones, etc., that are placed in courses so as to break joints.
- A breaking off and dislocation of a seam; a fault.
- A change of the position of the hand on the finger board, in playing the violin.

Meaning of 'shift' (Princeton's WordNet)

1 . shift [ n]
Meaning (1):
- (geology) a crack in the earth's crust resulting from the displacement of one side with respect to the other
Example in sentence:
  • he studied the faulting of the earth's crust;
  • they built it right over a geological fault
Meaning (2):
- the act of moving from one place to another
Example in sentence:
  • his constant shifting disrupted the class
Meaning (3):
- the act of changing one thing or position for another
Example in sentence:
  • his switch on abortion cost him the election
4 . shift [ v]
Meaning (4):
- make a shift in or exchange of
Example in sentence:
  • First Joe led; then we switched
Meaning (5):
- change phonetically as part of a systematic historical change
Example in sentence:
  • Grimm showed how the consonants shifted
Meaning (6):
- move very slightly
Example in sentence:
  • He shifted in his seat
Meaning (7):
- change in quality
Example in sentence:
  • His tone shifted
Meaning (8):
- use a shift key on a keyboard
Example in sentence:
  • She could not shift so all her letters are written in lower case
Meaning (9):
- lay aside, abandon, or leave for another
Example in sentence:
  • She switched psychiatrists;
  • switch to a different brand of beer;
  • The car changed lanes
Meaning (10):
- move from one setting or context to another
Example in sentence:
  • shift one's attention;
  • shift the emphasis
Meaning (11):
- change place or direction
Example in sentence:
  • Shift one's position
Meaning (12):
- move and exchange for another
Example in sentence:
  • shift the date for our class reunion
Meaning (13):
- move sideways or in an unsteady way
Example in sentence:
  • The ship careened out of control
Meaning (14):
- move abruptly
Example in sentence:
  • The ship suddenly lurched to the left
Meaning (15):
- move around
Example in sentence:
  • transfer the packet from his trouser pockets to a pocket in his jacket
Meaning (16):
- change gears
Example in sentence:
  • you have to shift when you go down a steep hill

Nearby Words:

shiah shibboleth shide shie shied shiel shield shield-bearer shielddrake shielded

See 'shift' also in:

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Related Definitions

  • Income Shifting
    Income Shifting, also called “Income splitting”, is a taxation strategy in which earnings are transferred from high-income to low-income taxpayers.
  • Risky shift
    Risky shift is a form of group polarization where people make riskier decisions under the influence of a group than by themselves. The opposite of cautious shift.
  • Cautious shift
    Cautious shift is a form of group polarization where people make more cautious decisions under the influence of a group than by themselves the opposite of risky shift.
  • Portfolio shifting
    Portfolio shifting is the selling selected securities, often at a loss, to offset taxable income from other sources and to restructure a bank’s asset portfolio to one that is more appropriate for current market conditions.
  • Second shift
    Second shift is the double burden – work outside the home followed by child care and housework – that many women face and few men share
  • Shift differential
    Shift differential can be defined as additional compensation, usually expressed as cents per hour, paid as an incentive for employees to accept working a less-then-desirable work shift (i.e., 2 nd or 3 rd shift).
  • Downshifting
    Downshifting is refers to employees who choose to accept or remain in lower level or lower paying jobs in order to satisfy their personal and family needs.
  • Shift control mechanism
    Shift control mechanism is the location of the shift control mechanism, which includes levers, paddles or buttons.
  • Shift linkage
    Shift linkage means any collection of mechanical connections between a vehicles operating control(s) and its transmission.
  • Shift protocol
    Shift protocol is the means by which a driver changes gears, including buttons, paddles or a lever.

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