Shift  —v. 1 (cause to) change or move from one position to another. 2 remove, esp. With effort. 3 slang a hurry. B consume (food or drink). 4 us change (gear) in a vehicle. —n. 1 act of shifting. 2 a relay of workers. B time for which they work. 3 a device, stratagem, or expedient. B trick or evasion. 4 woman's straight unwaisted dress or petticoat. 5 physics displacement of a spectral line. 6 key on a keyboard used to switch between lower and upper case etc. 7 us a gear lever in a vehicle. B mechanism for this.  make shift manage; get along somehow. Shift for oneself rely on one's own efforts. Shift one's ground take up a new position in an argument etc. [old english]