shift
- 01 B1 Intermediate
v.to move something from one place to another, or to change your own position.
v.to move or transfer from one place or position to another; often used intransitively to describe a slight change in posture.
Simple“He shifted his weight from one foot to the other while he waited for the bus.”
In context“The cargo shifted dangerously during the storm, forcing the captain to adjust the ship's course to maintain stability.”
Synonyms - 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
v.to change your opinion, a plan, or the way you look at something.
v.to undergo or cause a change in character, focus, or opinion.
Simple“The government has shifted its focus toward improving public transport.”
In context“Public opinion shifted significantly following the publication of the report, leading to a renewed demand for legislative reform.”
- 03 B1 Intermediate
v.to change the gears in a car or bicycle.
v.to change the gear ratio in a motor vehicle or on a bicycle.
Simple“You should shift into a lower gear before you start climbing the steep hill.”
In context“The driver shifted smoothly into fourth gear as the car accelerated onto the motorway.”
Synonymsgear downgear up - 04 B1 Intermediate
n.the period of time you spend at work, or the group of people who work then.
n.a scheduled period of work or the group of workers who perform their duties during such a period.
Simple“My sister works the night shift at the hospital, so she sleeps during the day.”
In context“The factory operates on three eight-hour shifts to ensure that production never ceases during the working week.”
- 05 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.a change in position, direction, or the way something is done.
n.a change in position, direction, or tendency.
Simple“There has been a major shift in how people use social media lately.”
In context“The sudden shift in wind direction caught the sailors by surprise, making it difficult to keep the vessel on its intended path.”
SynonymsAntonyms - 06 A2 Elementary
n.the key on a computer keyboard that you press to type capital letters.
n.a modifier key on a keyboard used to type capital letters or alternate characters.
Simple“Hold down the shift key to type a capital letter.”
In context“The programmer used a combination of the shift and control keys to trigger the debugging macro.”
- 07 C1 Advanced
n.a simple, loose-fitting dress that hangs straight down.
n.a straight, loose-fitting dress without a defined waistline.
Simple“She wore a simple linen shift to the beach party.”
In context“The historical drama featured costumes ranging from elaborate court gowns to the simple cotton shifts worn by the servants.”
Synonymschemiseslip - 08 C2 Proficiency
v.to kiss someone passionately.
v.to engage in prolonged or passionate kissing.
Simple“He was hoping to shift her at the disco on Friday night.”
In context“The teenagers spent the entire evening gossiping about who had shifted whom at the end-of-term party.”
UsageCommonly used in Hiberno-English (Irish English).
Synonymsmake outsnog
Usage shift in focus · shift away · shift work
The noun is from Middle English schyft, shyffte. Cognate with German Schicht (“layer, shift”). The verb is from Middle English schiften, from Old English sċiftan (“to divide, separate into shares; appoint, ordain; arrange, organise”), 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”). Cognate with Scots schift, skift (“to shift”), West Frisian skifte, skiftsje (“to sort”), Dutch schiften (“to sort, screen, winnow, part”), German schichten (“to stack, layer”), Swedish skifta (“to shift, change, exchange, vary”), Norwegian skifte (“to shift”), Icelandic skipta (“to switch”). See ship.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.