shift noun
1 change
ADJ. distinct, dramatic, fundamental, major, marked, profound, pronounced, radical, significant, substantial | discernible | slight, subtle | gradual | abrupt, sudden | decisive, irreversible, long-term | climate, cultural, demographic, ideological, policy, population
VERB + SHIFT be, represent These proposals represent a dramatic shift in policy. | bring about, cause, lead to, produce, result in | mark, see The moment marked a significant shift in attitudes to the war. | detect I detected a subtle shift towards our point of view. | explain one factor which may explain the president's policy shift
SHIFT + VERB occur, take place These climate shifts occurred over less than a decade.
PREP. ~ between the many shifts between verse and prose that occur in Shakespeare | ~ (away) from the shift away from direct taxation | ~ in a shift in public opinion | ~ to a sudden shift to the right in British politics | ~ towards a shift towards part-time farming
2 division of the working day
ADJ. double, long, split I agreed to work double shifts for a few weeks. | day, early, late, night | eight-hour, ten-hour, etc. | afternoon, evening, morning, weekend
VERB + SHIFT be/come/go on, do, work (in) ~s I'm doing the early shift this week. I didn't realize that I'd have to work shifts. The clinic is staffed by ten doctors who work in shifts. | change (your) ~s It was 8.00 a.m. and the nurses were changing shifts. My husband has changed his shifts, from the afternoon shift to the night one. | be/go/come off
SHIFT + NOUN work | supervisor, manager, worker | pattern, system They'd altered his shift pattern twice in the past fortnight.
PREP. on a/the ~ a decision for the chief nurse on each shift
shift verb
1 move
ADV. slightly Julie shifted her position slightly and smiled. | impatiently, restlessly, uncomfortably, uneasily She shifted uncomfortably in her chair. | away
PREP. from She shifted her gaze away from the group of tourists. | onto He shifted his weight onto his left foot. | to Her eyes shifted to his face.
PHRASES shift from foot to foot
2 change
ADV. dramatically, markedly The emphasis has shifted markedly in recent years. | slightly | effectively | simply We cannot simply shift the responsibility onto someone else. | gradually, slowly | rapidly | suddenly | constantly, continually constantly shifting alliances
VERB + SHIFT attempt to, try to trying to shift the blame onto the government | tend to | begin to
PREP. (away) from I felt the advantage had suddenly shifted away from us. | onto, to His sympathies rapidly shifted to the side of the workers. | towards These changes will shift the balance in higher education more towards science subjects.
You can also check other dicts: shift (English, 中文解释 ), wordnet sense, Collins Definition