Read full poem →I will use the world, and sift it,
To a thousand humors shift it,
As you spin a cherry.
Dictionary Entry
shift
Part of SpeechnounPronunciation/ʃɪft/Word FrequencyCommon (5.55)Curriculum FrequencyLess common (1)Used In Literature ↓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).
In a Sentence
“Writers often choose shift when discussing complex ideas.”
Published Usage Examples
“The term shift work disorder, or SWD, may be new to you.”
“That's why I think the term "shift" is more accurate.”
This entry also appears in ReadingWillow Year 10 word lists, so students can move between the dictionary and year-level study sets.
Origin
From Old English *scift* meaning ‘division’ or ‘change’.
Common Phrases
. shiftaway shifttoward shiftshift phaseshift paradigmshift nightshift chemical
