# shift

/ˈʃɪft/ (US) · /ʃˈɪft/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/shift
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. to move or change position

verb · CEFR B1

to move something from one place to another, or to change your own position.

For teachers: to move or transfer from one place or position to another; often used intransitively to describe a slight change in posture.

- He shifted his weight from one foot to the other while he waited for the bus.
- The cargo shifted dangerously during the storm, forcing the captain to adjust the ship's course to maintain stability.

### 2. to change an opinion or focus

verb · CEFR B2 · Academic

to change your opinion, a plan, or the way you look at something.

For teachers: to undergo or cause a change in character, focus, or opinion.

- The government has shifted its focus toward improving public transport.
- Public opinion shifted significantly following the publication of the report, leading to a renewed demand for legislative reform.

### 3. to change gears

verb · CEFR B1

to change the gears in a car or bicycle.

For teachers: to change the gear ratio in a motor vehicle or on a bicycle.

- You should shift into a lower gear before you start climbing the steep hill.
- The driver shifted smoothly into fourth gear as the car accelerated onto the motorway.

### 4. work period

noun · CEFR B1

the period of time you spend at work, or the group of people who work then.

For teachers: a scheduled period of work or the group of workers who perform their duties during such a period.

- My sister works the night shift at the hospital, so she sleeps during the day.
- The factory operates on three eight-hour shifts to ensure that production never ceases during the working week.

### 5. a change or movement

noun · CEFR B2

a change in position, direction, or the way something is done.

For teachers: a change in position, direction, or tendency.

- There has been a major shift in how people use social media lately.
- The sudden shift in wind direction caught the sailors by surprise, making it difficult to keep the vessel on its intended path.

### 6. keyboard key

noun · CEFR A2

the key on a computer keyboard that you press to type capital letters.

For teachers: a modifier key on a keyboard used to type capital letters or alternate characters.

- Hold down the shift key to type a capital letter.
- The programmer used a combination of the shift and control keys to trigger the debugging macro.

### 7. clothing

noun · CEFR C1 · Literary

a simple, loose-fitting dress that hangs straight down.

For teachers: a straight, loose-fitting dress without a defined waistline.

- She wore a simple linen shift to the beach party.
- The historical drama featured costumes ranging from elaborate court gowns to the simple cotton shifts worn by the servants.

### 8. to kiss

verb · CEFR C2 · Dialect · Slang · Informal

to kiss someone passionately.

For teachers: to engage in prolonged or passionate kissing.

- He was hoping to shift her at the disco on Friday night.
- The teenagers spent the entire evening gossiping about who had shifted whom at the end-of-term party.

Usage: Commonly used in Hiberno-English (Irish English).

## Examples

- There has been a major shift in public opinion lately.
- The factory workers are exhausted because they just finished a twelve-hour night shift.
- Economists observed a fundamental shift in consumer behavior as digital platforms began to replace traditional brick-and-mortar retail outlets across the country.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.