v. & n.
v. 1 intr. & tr. change or move or cause to change or move from one position to another. 2 tr. remove, esp. with effort (washing won't shift the stains). 3 sl. a intr. hurry (we'll have to shift!). b tr. consume (food or drink) hastily or in bulk. c tr. sell (esp. dubious goods). 4 intr. contrive or manage as best one can. 5 US a tr. change (gear) in a vehicle. b intr. change gear. 6 intr. (of cargo) get shaken out of place. 7 intr. archaic be evasive or indirect.
n. 1 a the act or an instance of shifting. b the substitution of one thing for another; a rotation. 2 a a relay of workers (the night shift). b the time for which they work (an eight-hour shift). 3 a a device, stratagem, or expedient. b a dodge, trick, or evasion. 4 a a woman's straight unwaisted dress. b archaic a loose-fitting undergarment. 5 a displacement of spectral lines (see also red shift). 6 (also sound shift) a systematic change in pronunciation as a language evolves. 7 a key on a keyboard used to switch between lower and upper case etc. 8 Bridge a a change of suit in bidding. b US a change of suit in play. 9 the positioning of successive rows of bricks so that their ends do not coincide. 10 US a a gear lever in a motor vehicle. b a mechanism for this. make shift manage or contrive; get along somehow (made shift without it). shift for oneself rely on one's own efforts. shift one's ground take up a new position in an argument etc. shift off get rid of (responsibility etc.) to another. shiftable adj. shifter n.
[ OE sciftan arrange, divide, etc., f. Gmc ]