shift
IPA: ʃˈɪft
noun
- A movement to do something, a beginning.
- An act of shifting; a slight movement or change.
- (obsolete) A share, a portion assigned on division.
- (historical) A type of women's undergarment of dress length worn under dresses or skirts, a slip or chemise.
- A simple straight-hanging, loose-fitting dress.
- A change of workers, now specifically a set group of workers or period of working time.
- (US) The gear mechanism in a motor vehicle.
- (computing) A control code or character used to change between different character sets.
- (computing) An instance of the use of such a code or character.
- (computing) A bit shift.
- (baseball) An infield shift.
- (Ireland, crude slang, often with the definite article, usually uncountable) The act of kissing passionately.
- (archaic) A contrivance, a device to try when other methods fail.
- (archaic) A trick, an artifice.
- (construction) The extent, or arrangement, of the overlapping of plank, brick, stones, etc., that are placed in courses so as to break joints.
- (mining) A breaking off and dislocation of a seam; a fault.
- (genetics) A mutation in which the DNA or RNA from two different sources (such as viruses or bacteria) combine.
- (music) In violin-playing, any position of the left hand except that nearest the nut.
- A period of time in which one's consciousness resides in another reality, usually achieved through meditation or other means.
- (British slang) be done; ruined
- (computing) A modifier key whose main function is shifting between two or more functions of any of certain other keys (usually by pressing Shift and the other button simultaneously).
- Alternative spelling of Shift (“a modifier button of computer keyboards”). [(computing) A modifier key whose main function is shifting between two or more functions of any of certain other keys (usually by pressing Shift and the other button simultaneously).]
verb
- (transitive, sometimes figurative) To move from one place to another; to redistribute.
- (transitive, intransitive, figurative) To change in form or character; switch.
- (intransitive) To change position.
- (intransitive, India) To change residence; to leave and live elsewhere.
- (obsolete, transitive) To change (clothes, especially underwear).
- (obsolete, transitive, reflexive) To change (someone's) clothes; sometimes specifically, to change underwear.
- (intransitive) To change gears (in a car).
- (typewriters) To move the keys of a typewriter over in order to type capital letters and special characters.
- (computer keyboards) To switch to a character entry mode for capital letters and special characters.
- (transitive, computing) To manipulate a binary number by moving all of its digits left or right; compare rotate.
- (transitive, computing) To remove the first value from an array.
- (transitive) To dispose of.
- (intransitive) To hurry; to move quickly.
- (Ireland, vulgar, slang) To engage in sexual petting.
- (archaic) To resort to expedients for accomplishing a purpose; to contrive; to manage.
- To practice indirect or evasive methods.
- (music) In violin-playing, to move the left hand from its original position next to the nut.
- To change the reality one's consciousness resides in through meditation or other means.
- (Nigeria, slang) To steal or kidnap.
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Examples of "shift" in Sentences
- The moon and the clouds also shift.
- The platform is then shifted laterally.
- The shifting of the valve is adjustable.
- The main one was a shifting of the text.
- The scene shifts to the end of the 1931.
- This shift affected the symbolism of the emblem.
- This creates the shift in the interference pattern.
- But the balance of power in the country is shifting.
- But the shift has been to the detriment of Montreal.
- The faster the celestial object moves toward you, the bluer the shift.