Meaning

• A modifier key whose main function is shifting between two or more functions of any of certain other keys (usually by pressing Shift and the other button simultaneously).

Meaning

• A type of women's undergarment, a slip.

  "Just last week she bought a new shift at the market."

• A change of workers, now specifically a set group of workers or period of working time.

  "We'll work three shifts a day till the job's done."

• An act of shifting; a slight movement or change.

  "There was a shift in the political atmosphere."

• The gear mechanism in a motor vehicle.

  "Does it come with a stick-shift?"

• A bit shift.

• The infield shift.

  "Teams often use the shift against this lefty."

• (often with the definite article, usually uncountable) The act of kissing passionately.

• A contrivance, a device to try when other methods fail.

• A trick, an artifice.

• The extent, or arrangement, of the overlapping of plank, brick, stones, etc., that are placed in courses so as to break joints.

• A breaking off and dislocation of a seam; a fault.

• A mutation in which the DNA or RNA from two different sources (such as viruses or bacteria) combine.

• In violin-playing, any position of the left hand except that nearest the nut.

Meaning

• (sometimes figurative) 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; swap.

• To change position.

  "His political stance shifted daily."

• To change residence; to leave and live elsewhere.

  "We are shifting to America next month."

• To change (clothes, especially underwear).

• To change (someone's) clothes; sometimes specifically, to change underwear.

• To change gears (in a car).

  "I crested the hill and shifted into fifth."

• (typewriters) To move the keys of a typewriter over in order to type capital letters and special characters.

• (computer keyboards) To switch to a character entry mode for capital letters and special characters.

• To manipulate a binary number by moving all of its digits left or right; compare rotate.

  "Shifting 1001 to the left yields 10010; shifting it right yields 100."

• To remove the first value from an array.

• To dispose of.

  "How can I shift a grass stain?"

• To hurry.

  "If you shift, you might make the 2:19."

• To engage in sexual petting.

• To resort to expedients for accomplishing a purpose; to contrive; to manage.

• To practice indirect or evasive methods.

• In violin-playing, to move the left hand from its original position next to the nut.