shift
A movement to do something, a beginning.
Noun 4 meanings
A movement to do something, a beginning.
An act of shifting; a slight movement or change.
“There was a shift in the political atmosphere.”
A simple straight-hanging, loose-fitting dress.
A change of workers, now specifically a set group of workers or period of working time.
“We'll work three shifts a day till the job's done.”
Verb 4 meanings
To move from one place to another; to redistribute.
“We'll have to shift these boxes to the downtown office.”
To change in form or character; switch.
To change position; to move.
“She shifted slightly in her seat.”
To change residence; to leave and live elsewhere.
“We are shifting to America next month.”
Etymology
The verb is from Middle English schiften, from Old English sċiftan (“to divide, separate into shares; appoint, ordain; arrange, organise”), from Proto-West Germanic *skiftijan, from Proto-Germanic *skiftijaną, *skiptijaną, from earlier *skipatjaną (“to organise, put in order”), from Proto-Indo-European *skeyb- (“to separate, divide, part”), from Proto-Indo-European *skey- (“to cut, divide, separate, part”).
Similar and opposite words
SHIFT at a glance
SHIFT has 5 letters and scores 11 points in Scrabble (S 1 + H 4 + I 1 + F 4 + T 1) and 10 in Words With Friends, before board bonuses. It ranks #2,586 by how often it appears in everyday English. It is valid in ENABLE, NWL2023, Collins/SOWPODS.
Rhymes with shift
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