shift

noun
UK: /ʃɪft/
US: /ʃɪft/

  1. A period of work.

    1. I work the night shift this week. [ ] [ ]
    2. She is not available, as she is on the afternoon shift today. [ ] [ ]

  2. A change in position or direction.

    1. There was a shift in the wind today. [ ] [ ]
    2. A subtle shift in policy is expected after the conference. [ ] [ ]

  3. A slight difference in feeling, opinion, or mood.

    1. I noticed a shift in his attitude. [ ] [ ]
    2. The recent events caused a shift in public opinion regarding the matter. [ ] [ ]

Synonyms

change turn period adjustment move
shift verb

  1. To move or change from one position or direction to another.

    1. Shift your weight to the other foot. [ ] [ ]
    2. The company will shift its focus to renewable energy sources next year. [ ] [ ]

  2. To change gear in a vehicle.

    1. Shift into first gear before starting. [ ] [ ]
    2. He had to shift down to third gear to climb the steep hill. [ ] [ ]

  3. To move something or someone to a different place or situation.

    1. We need to shift these boxes to the garage. [ ] [ ]
    2. The blame was shifted onto someone else to avoid responsibility. [ ] [ ]
shift intransitive-verb

  1. To work during a shift.

    1. Are you shifting tomorrow? [ ] [ ]
    2. He's shifting this afternoon, so he will be here soon. [ ] [ ]
shift transitive-verb

  1. To change or move (something) from one place or position to another.

    1. Can you shift the chair? [ ] [ ]
    2. We have to shift the blame to someone else to stay out of this. [ ] [ ]

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "shift" in English means: A period of work., A change in position or direction., A slight difference in feeling, opinion, or mood..

The phonetic transcription of "shift" is /ʃɪft/ in British English and /ʃɪft/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "shift": change, turn, period, adjustment, move.

Example usage of "shift": "I work the night shift this week.". More examples on the page.