[shift] vb [ME, fr. OE sciftan to divide, arrange; akin to ON skipa to arrange, assign] vt (13c) 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 ~ vi 1 a: to change place or position b: to change direction "the wind ~ed" c: to change gears d: to depress the shift key (as on a typewriter)
2. a: to assume responsibility "had to ~ for themselves" b: to resort to expedients 3 a: to go through a change b: to change one's clothes c: to become changed phonetically -- shift.able adj -- shift.er n -- shift gears : to make a change
[2]shift n (1523) 1 a: a means or device for effecting an end b (1): a deceitful or underhand scheme: dodge (2): an expedient tried in difficult circumstances: extremity
2. a chiefly dial: a change of clothes b (1) chiefly dial: shirt (2): a woman's slip or chemise (3): a usu. loose-fitting or semifitted dress 3 a: a change in direction "a ~ in the wind" b: a change in emphasis, judgment, or attitude
4. a: a group of people who work or occupy themselves in turn with other groups b (1): a change of one group of people (as workers) for another in regular alternation (2): a scheduled period of work or duty
5: a change in place or position: as a: a change in the position of the hand on a fingerboard (as of a violin) b (1): fault
5. (2): the relative displacement of rock masses on opposite sides of a fault or fault zone c (1): a simultaneous change of position in football by two or more players from one side of the line to the other (2): a change of positions made by one or more players in baseball to provide better defense against a particular hitter d: a change in frequency resulting in a change in position of a spectral line or band--compare doppler effect e: a movement of bits in a computer register a specified number of places to the right or left
6: a removal from one person or thing to another: transfer 7: consonant shift 8: a bid in bridge in a suit other than the suit one's partner has bid--compare jump 9: gearshift syn see resource