shift

SaySHIFT/ʃɪft/

Pluralshifts

Verbshifts, shifting, shifted

36 meanings of shift

Practice

1
a changenouncountable or uncountable
A small movement or change.
Like when the weather changes just a little: not a storm, just a small change.
There was a sudden shift in the wind.
Economists noticed a small shift in how people spend.
UsageSay a shift in something.
Similarchange, swing, movement, move
Note
2
work hoursnouncountable or uncountable
A group of workers who work together at the same time, or the hours they work.
Like a sports team: one group plays, then a fresh group comes on to take over.
The night shift starts at ten and ends at six.
She works the early shift at the bakery.
UsageSay work a shift or on the night shift.
Similarwatch, crew
Note
3
verbfigurativelyintransitivereflexive
To move, or to change from one position, state, or kind to another.
Like a breeze that quietly changes direction without warning.
The mood in the room shifted when she walked in.
Opinions shift when people learn new facts.
UsageSay opinions shift, or someone shifts in a chair.
Similarchange, move, swing, switch, alter
Note
4
move somethingverbfigurativelytransitive
To move something from one place to another.
Like pouring water from one bucket into another.
The company shifted resources to its fastest-growing division.
Managers shift blame onto their teams when projects fail.
UsageShift something to another place.
Similarmove, transfer, switch, redirect
5
gear systemnounUScountable or uncountable
The set of parts in a car used to change gears.
Like the handle you move to choose which gear the car is in.
The shift on this old truck sticks in cold weather.
The shift in my old truck is on the steering column.
UsageSay stick shift.
Similargearstick, lever
6
change gearsverbintransitive
To change gears while driving a car.
You need to shift before the engine revs too high.
He shifted smoothly as the car climbed the hill.
UsageSay shift into a gear.
Similarchange
7
move houseverbIndiaintransitive
To move to a new home and live somewhere else.
Like packing up and starting fresh in a new town.
They shifted to a bigger house last year.
We might shift closer to the city soon.
UsageSay shift to a new home. Many people say move.
Similarmove, relocate
8
verbslangIrelandtransitive
To kiss and touch someone in a sexual way.
My cousin wants to shift a man she met at the wedding.
Everyone at the party saw Ciara shifting a lad from her office.
UsageSay shift someone. Keep it for friends.
Similarsnog, kiss
Note

Less common meanings

9
verbintransitive
To press the Shift key so that you type capital letters or other special characters.
Like flipping a switch so the keys make big letters instead of small ones.
Shift to type the dollar sign above the number four.
You shift to get a capital letter at the start of a name.
10
loose dressnouncountable or uncountable
A simple, loose dress that hangs straight down.
Like a long, loose T-shirt that falls straight down like a dress.
She wore a plain linen shift to the summer party.
The cotton shift kept her cool in the heat.
UsageSay a shift dress.
11
baseballnouncountable or uncountable
In baseball, moving the infielders to one side to match where a batter usually hits the ball.
Like fielders all moving to one side, guessing where the ball will land.
The team used a shift to stop the pull hitter.
Managers often call for a shift against left-handed batters.
UsageSay against the shift.
Note
12
slip (underwear)nounhistoricalcountable or uncountable
A long, simple piece of underwear that women once wore under dresses.
Like a long, plain T-shirt worn under a dress.
She wore a plain linen shift beneath her Sunday dress.
Some wear black shifts and flesh-coloured stockings; some with curly hair, dyed yellow, are dressed like little girls in short muslin frocks.
1919, W[illiam] Somerset Maugham, The Moon and SixpenceHere, shifts means dress-length undergarments, like slips.
Similarslip, chemise
Note
13
get rid ofverbcolloquialUKtransitive
To get rid of something or move it away.
Like clearing junk off a table so it's finally gone.
The store cut prices to shift the last of the winter coats.
I washed the shirt twice but couldn't shift the stain.
UsageSay shift stock, or can't shift a cold.
Similarclear, sell, move, offload, unload
14
hurryverbintransitive
To move fast or hurry to get somewhere.
Like rushing to finish before the clock runs out.
We need to shift quickly before the rain starts.
You'll have to shift if you want to catch that bus.
UsageOften used with can or have to: you'll have to shift.
Similarhurry, rush, hustle, move
Oppositedawdle
Note
15
kissnounslangIrelanduncountable
The act of kissing someone with a lot of passion.
All he wanted from the night out was a dance and a shift.
Her friends cheered when she finally got the shift off the boy she liked.
UsageSay get the shift.
Similarsnog, kiss, smooch
Note
16
noun
In computing, a special code that switches text to a different set of letters or symbols.
17
noun
A computer operation that moves the bits of a number left or right by a set number of places.
18
verb
To move all the digits of a binary number left or right.
19
verb
To take the first item out of a list in a computer program.
20
noun
A big, sudden change in a virus, such as flu, when two different kinds mix their genes.
21
verbarchaic
To use tricky or roundabout ways to get by or get what you want.
But this I dare auow of all those Schoole-men, that though they were exceeding wittie, yet they better teach all their Followers to shift, then to resolue, by their distinctions.
1614, Walter Raleigh, The Historie of the World
22
verb
To move your hand up or down the neck of a violin to play in a different position.
23
noundated
In violin playing, any hand position except the lowest one near the top of the neck.
24
nounarchaic
An effort or first move toward doing something.
25
noun
In building, how far bricks or stones overlap from one row to the next so the joints don't line up.
26
noun
A stretch of time when your mind seems to live in another reality, often reached through deep meditation.
27
verb
To use meditation or other ways to move your mind into a different reality.
28
nounobsolete
The piece each person gets when something is shared out.
29
nounarchaic
Something you try when nothing else has worked.
If I get down, and do not break my limbs, I'll find a thousand shifts to get away: As good to die and go, as die and stay.
c. 1596, William Shakespeare, “The Life and Death of King Iohn”
30
nounarchaic
A clever trick to fool someone.
Reduced to pitiable shifts.
1856, [Thomas Babington] Macaulay, “Oliver Goldsmith”
31
noun
A spot in a mine where a layer of rock has cracked and moved.
32
verbobsolete
To swap the clothes you have on, mainly underwear, for others, or do this for someone else.
33
verbobsolete
To put clean clothes on someone else.
34
verbarchaic
To find a way to get along with what you have.
35
verbslangNigeria
To steal something or take a person away by force.
36
verb
In a video game, to make your character crouch down.

Practice

Can you tell the meanings of shift apart? Answer 3 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.

Origin

The noun comes from Middle English. The verb comes from Old English sċiftan, meaning to divide or arrange, from older Germanic and Indo-European roots meaning to cut or separate.

Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 4 facts

The noun comes from Middle English. en.wiktionary.org
The verb comes from Old English sċiftan. en.wiktionary.org
Old English sċiftan meant to divide or arrange. bosworthtoller.com
The verb has older Germanic ancestry and ultimately an Indo-European root meaning to cut or separate. en.wiktionary.org