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# shift

«shift» in Mova's school dictionary: **to move something from one place or position to another:…** — its meaning for a pupil, its sense in the lessons and examples, with 5 sentences of Mova's corpora that use it.

### part of speech

verb (shift, shifts, shifted, shifting); noun (a shift, shifts)

### meaning for a pupil

1) To shift means to move something from one place or position to another: "help me shift this table". [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/shift/#m1)

2) To shift also means to change: "the wind shifted to the north". [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/shift/#m2)

3) A shift is a change: "a shift in the weather". [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/shift/#m3)

4) A shift is a set period of work, for example in a hospital or factory; a night shift is work at night. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/shift/#m4)

5) The shift key on a keyboard makes capital letters. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/shift/#m5)

6) (UK, informal) To shift can mean to move fast or to get rid of something: "that car can really shift", "I need to shift this cold". [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/shift/#m6)

7) An old word for a loose, simple dress or undergarment worn by women is also called a shift. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/shift/#m7)

### sense in the lessons

In maths, a shift (also called a translation) slides a shape without turning it; "shift 3 squares right". In word problems, workers' shifts are counted in hours: three 8-hour shifts cover 24 hours. In science, plates of the Earth shift and cause earthquakes. Phrases: night shift, day shift, shift work, shift gears, shift the blame, shift key, shift about.

### examples

- Can you help me shift the sofa? [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/shift/#x1)
- The wind shifted and the rain came in. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/shift/#x2)
- My mum works the night shift at the hospital. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/shift/#x3)
- Each shift is 8 hours long, so three shifts cover the whole day. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/shift/#x4)
- Press shift to type a capital letter. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/shift/#x5)
- Shift the triangle 4 squares to the left. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/shift/#x6)
- Don't try to shift the blame onto me! [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/shift/#x7)
- Come on, shift, we're late! [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/shift/#x8)
- "If you'll marry me, I'll give you back your shift." [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/shift/#x9)

### note

Past form: shifted. A shift of work is countable: "two shifts". In maths a shift keeps the size and shape the same; only the position changes. "Shift" used for gears and for "move fast" is informal.

### In the corpora

- [Night shifts mean working through the night and sleeping in the day; nurses, drivers, bakers and warehouse workers often do them.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/2-shifts-nights-and-other-ways-of-working/6/)
- [Volunteering means working without pay to help a good cause, like Gran's shift at the charity shop.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/32-bad-news-protests-and-helping-others/18/)
- [A man who comes home at strange hours may be a hospital porter on night shifts.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/43-our-street-when-a-guess-becomes-a-reputation/4/)
- [Strange hours often mean a shift worker, like a nurse, porter or baker, keeping everyone safe and fed.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/43-our-street-when-a-guess-becomes-a-reputation/14/)
- [Many parents work shifts and sometimes miss shows; it does not mean they do not care, and filming the show can help.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/arts/28-the-school-play-auditions-lines-stage-fright/12/)

### Trees and pragmatics

[Every meaning and example of «shift» parsed by Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/shift/), each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.