- (v.t.) To change the position of; to alter the bearings of; to turn; as, to shift the helm or sails.
- (v.t.) The act of shifting.
- (v.t.) The act of putting one thing in the place of another or of changing the place of a thing; change; substitution.
- (v.t.) To change the place of; to move or remove from one place to another; as, to shift a burden from one shoulder to another; to shift the blame.
- (v.t.) To change the clothing of; -- used reflexively.
- (v.t.) A change of the position of the hand on the finger board, in playing the violin.
- (v.t.) In building, the extent or arrangement, of the overlapping of plank, brick, stones, etc., that are placed in courses so as to break joints.
- (v.t.) To put off or out of the way by some expedient.
- (v.t.) The change of one set of workmen for another; hence, a spell or turn, of work; also, a set of workmen who work in turn with other sets; as, a night shift.
- (v.t.) Something frequently shifted; especially, a woman's under-garment; a chemise.
- (v.t.) To divide; to distribute; to apportion.
- (v.t.) To exchange for another of the same class; to remove and to put some similar thing in its place; to change; as, to shift the clothes; to shift the scenes.
- (v.t.) A breaking off and dislocation of a seam; a fault.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
| APA | Webster's. (2011). shift. Retrieved September 22, 2026, from http://smartdefine.org/shift/definitions/2061370 |
| Chicago | Webster's. 2011. "shift" http://smartdefine.org/shift/definitions/2061370 (accessed September 22, 2026). |
| Harvard | Webster's 2011, shift, Smart Define, viewed 22 September, 2026, <http://smartdefine.org/shift/definitions/2061370>. |
| MLA | Webster's. "shift" 28 May 2011. Web. 22 September 2026. <http://smartdefine.org/shift/definitions/2061370> |