shift

n. scheduled work period; change in position, change in direction; replacement, substitution; transfer, exchange; ruse, trick; loose-fitting woman's dress; woman's slip

v. move; cause to move; transfer from one place to another; exchange, switch; change gears; manage on one's own

Shift generally means to change (position). Shift may refer to: Gear shift, to change gears in a carShift work, an employment practiceShift (music), a change of level in musicShift (magazine), a former Canadian technology and culture magazineShift (weapon), an improvised knife used as a weaponShift (clothing), a simple kind of undergarmentShift (sailing), a shift of points of sailShift (film), a 1999 TV-Movie starring Christopher MeloniShift the Ape, a character in the Chronicles of Narnia seriesMean-Shift tracking in video tracking
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The shift key is a modifier key on a keyboard, used to type capital letters and other alternate "upper" characters. There are typically two shift keys, on the left and right sides of the row below the home row. The shift key's name originated from the typewriter, where one had to press and hold the button to shift up the case stamp to change to capital letters.
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Noun
1. an event in which something is displaced without rotation
(synonym) displacement
(hypernym) translation
(hyponym) amplitude
(derivation) switch, change
2. a qualitative change
(synonym) transformation, transmutation
(hypernym) change, alteration, modification
(hyponym) improvement, betterment, advance
3. the time period during which you are at work
(synonym) work shift, duty period
(hypernym) hours
(hyponym) go, spell, tour, turn
(part-holonym) workday, working day
4. the act of changing one thing or position for another; "his switch on abortion cost him the election"
(synonym) switch, switching
(hypernym) change
(hyponym) switcheroo
5. the act of moving from one place to another; "his constant shifting disrupted the class"
(synonym) shifting
(hypernym) motion, movement, move
(derivation) lurch, pitch
6. (geology) a crack in the earth's crust resulting from the displacement of one side with respect to the other; "they built it right over a geological fault"
(synonym) fault, geological fault, fracture, break
(hypernym) crack, cleft, crevice, fissure, scissure
(hyponym) Denali Fault
(part-meronym) fault line
(classification) geology
7. a group of workers who work for a specific period of time
(hypernym) work force, workforce, manpower, hands, men
(hyponym) day shift, day watch
8. a woman's sleeveless undergarment
(synonym) chemise, shimmy, slip, teddies, teddy
(hypernym) undergarment
(part-meronym) strap, shoulder strap
9. a loose-fitting dress hanging straight from the shoulders without a waist
(synonym) chemise, sack
(hypernym) dress, frock
Verb
1. make a shift in or exchange of; "First Joe led; then we switched"
(synonym) switch, change over
(hypernym) change, alter, modify
(hyponym) back
(derivation) displacement
2. change place or direction; "Shift one's position"
(synonym) dislodge, reposition
(hypernym) move, displace
(hyponym) beat down
(derivation) shifting
3. move around; "transfer the packet from his trouser pockets to a pocket in his jacket"
(synonym) transfer
(hypernym) move, displace
(hyponym) transpose
(derivation) shifting
4. move very slightly; "He shifted in his seat"
(synonym) stir, budge, agitate
(hypernym) move
(derivation) shifting
5. move from one setting or context to another; "shift the emphasis"; "shift one's attention"
(hypernym) change, alter, modify
(hyponym) transfer, transpose, transplant
(derivation) switch, switching
6. change in quality; "His tone shifted"
(hypernym) change
(derivation) transformation, transmutation
7. move and exchange for another; "shift the date for our class reunion"
(hypernym) substitute, replace
(derivation) displacement
8. move sideways or in an unsteady way; "The ship careened out of control"
(synonym) careen, wobble, tilt
(hypernym) move
(derivation) shifting
9. move abruptly; "The ship suddenly lurched to the left"
(synonym) lurch, pitch
(hypernym) move
(derivation) shifting
10. use a shift key on a keyboard; "She could not shift so all ther letters are written in lower case"
(hypernym) type, typewrite
11. change phonetically as part of a systematic historical change; "Grimm showed how the consonants shifted"
(hypernym) change
(classification) phonetics
12. change gears; "you have to shift when you go down a steep hill"
(hypernym) switch, change
(derivation) gearshift, gearstick, shifter, gear lever
13. lay aside, abandon, or leave for another; "switch to a different brand of beer"; "She switched psychiatrists"; "The car changed lanes"
(synonym) switch, change
(verb-group) change
(derivation) displacement

Shift key, key used in combination with other keys which allows typing in capital letters or typing of special characters

(v. t.)
To put off or out of the way by some expedient.
  

(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.)
To divide; to distribute; to apportion.
  

(v. t.)
To change the position of; to alter the bearings of; to turn; as, to shift the helm or sails.
  

(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.)
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.)
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.)
Something frequently shifted; especially, a woman's under-garment; a chemise.
  

(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.)
A change of the position of the hand on the finger board, in playing the violin.
  

(v. t.)
A breaking off and dislocation of a seam; a fault.