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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 (gcide)

Shift \Shift\ (sh[i^]ft), v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Shifted}; p. pr.
& vb. n. {Shifting}.] [OE. shiften, schiften, to divide,
change, remove. AS. sciftan to divide; akin to LG. & D.
schiften to divide, distinguish, part Icel. skipta to divide,
to part, to shift, to change, Dan skifte, Sw. skifta, and
probably to Icel. sk[imac]fa to cut into slices, as n., a
slice, and to E. shive, sheave, n., shiver, n.]
1. To divide; to distribute; to apportion. [Obs.]
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To which God of his bounty would shift
Crowns two of flowers well smelling. --Chaucer.
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2. 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.
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Hastily he schifte him[self]. --Piers
Plowman.
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Pare saffron between the two St. Mary's days,
Or set or go shift it that knowest the ways.
--Tusser.
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3. To change the position of; to alter the bearings of; to
turn; as, to shift the helm or sails.
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Carrying the oar loose, [they] shift it hither and
thither at pleasure. --Sir W.
Raleigh.
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4. 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.
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I would advise you to shift a shirt. --Shak.
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5. To change the clothing of; -- used reflexively. [Obs.]
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As it were to ride day and night; and . . . not to
have patience to shift me. --Shak.
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6. To put off or out of the way by some expedient. "I shifted
him away." --Shak.
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{To shift off}, to delay; to defer; to put off; to lay aside.


{To shift the scene}, to change the locality or the
surroundings, as in a play or a story.
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Shift the scene for half an hour;
Time and place are in thy power. --Swift.
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Shifting \Shift"ing\, a.
1. Changing in place, position, or direction; varying;
variable; fickle; as, shifting winds; shifting opinions or
principles.
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2. Adapted or used for shifting anything.
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{Shifting backstays} (Naut.), temporary stays that have to be
let go whenever the vessel tacks or jibes.

{Shifting ballast}, ballast which may be moved from one side
of a vessel to another as safety requires.

{Shifting center}. See {Metacenter}.

{Shifting locomotive}. See {Switching engine}, under
{Switch}.
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