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Added 9 October 2026

shift

/ˈʃɪft/ noun

noun Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about shift at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

A movement to do something, a beginning.
An act of shifting; a slight movement or change.
There was a shift in the political atmosphere.
A share, a portion assigned on division.

verb

To move from one place to another; to redistribute.
We'll have to shift these boxes to the downtown office.
To change in form or character; switch.
To change position; to move.
She shifted slightly in her seat.

Origin

The verb is from Middle English schiften, from Old English sċiftan (“to divide, separate into shares; appoint, ordain; arrange, organise”), from Proto-West Germanic *skiftijan, 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”).

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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