shift

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verb

/ʃɪft/

present tense
I/you/we/they	shift
he/she/it	shifts
present participle	shifting
past tense	shifted
past participle	shifted

Related dictionary definitions

1
[intransitive/transitive] if an idea, attitude, or plan shifts, or if someone shifts it, it changes
Public opinion had shifted sharply to the left following the war.
shift your ground:
Most newspapers have shifted their ground considerably on this issue.
shift attention/focus/emphasis:
The government has shifted its attention away from the fight against crime.
Britain’s focus is shifting back towards its old partners in Europe.
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of shift
1. a.
  to change from one gear to another when you are driving a car
  She shifted smoothly into third gear as we went into the bend.
  Thesaurus entry for this meaning of shift
2. b.
  to make someone or something else responsible for something, especially when this is unfair
  shift blame/responsibility:
  They want to shift the blame for rising unemployment onto the recession.
  Thesaurus entry for this meaning of shift
2
[intransitive/transitive] to move your body or a part of your body slightly, for example because you are bored
The children are shifting uncomfortably in their seats.
shift your weight:
Martha shifted her weight from foot to foot.
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of shift
1. a.
  [transitive] British informal to move an object from one place to another
  We’ll need to shift this table over to the wall.
  Thesaurus entry for this meaning of shift
2. b.
  [intransitive/transitive] if things such as land or buildings shift, or if something shifts them, they move slightly
  The wall is shifting a couple of inches every year.
  Thesaurus entry for this meaning of shift
3. c.
  [intransitive/transitive] to move your eyes in order to look at something else
  shift your eyes/gaze:
  She stared at him, then shifted her gaze to the suitcase on the bed.
  Thesaurus entry for this meaning of shift
3
[transitive] British informal to get rid of something
None of the medicines I’ve taken have shifted this cold.
There’s still a stain on the carpet that I can’t shift.
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of shift
1. a.
  informal to sell something
  The supermarkets shift more wine in a weekend than we do all year.
  Thesaurus entry for this meaning of shift
4
[intransitive] computing to press the shift key on a computer keyboard
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of shift

phrase

shift gears
to start thinking or acting in a new way, especially more quickly than before
The team will need to shift gears and play at a higher level than before.
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of shift

This is the British English definition of shift. View American English definition of shift.

Change your default dictionary and thesaurus to American English.

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