n.
Pronunciation: ' shift
Function: verb
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English sciftan to divide, arrange; akin to Old Norse skipa to arrange, assign
Date: 13th century
transitive verb
1 : to exchange for or replace by another : CHANGE
2 a : to change the place, position, or direction of : MOVE b : to make a change in (place)
3 : to change phonetically
intransitive verb
1 a : to change place or position b : to change direction <the wind shift ed > c : to change gears d : to depress the shift key (as on a typewriter)
2 a : to assume responsibility <had to shift for themselves> b : to resort to expedients
3 a : to go through a change <she shift ed in her approach> b : to change one's clothes c : to become changed phonetically
– shift · able \ ' shif-t ə -b ə l \ adjective
– shift gears : to make a change