- shift
- {{Roman}}I.{{/Roman}} noun1 changeADJECTIVE▪ distinct, dramatic, fundamental, huge, important, major, marked, massive, profound, pronounced, radical, seismic, significant, substantial▪
There has been a major shift in the public's taste.
▪a significant shift in policy
▪ discernible, perceptible▪ slight, subtle▪ gradual▪ abrupt, rapid, sudden▪ decisive, irreversible, long-term▪ climate, cultural, demographic, ideological, policy, population, power▪ paradigm (= an important change in the way sth is thought about)▪Einstein's theories caused a paradigm shift in scientific thought.
VERB + SHIFT▪ be, mark, represent▪These proposals represent a dramatic shift in policy.
▪ indicate, reflect, signal▪The moment signals a significant shift in attitudes to the war.
▪ show▪ detect, notice, observe, see, witness▪I detected a subtle shift towards/toward our point of view.
▪ bring about, cause, drive, lead to, produce, result in▪ experience, undergo▪The industry has undergone a fundamental shift in recent years.
▪The toy industry is undergoing a seismic shift as more products are manufactured overseas.
▪ 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.
PREPOSITION▪ shift between▪the many shifts between verse and prose that occur in Shakespeare
▪ shift (away) from▪the shift away from direct taxation
▪ shift in▪a shift in public opinion
▪a shift in attitude/opinion/perspective
▪a shift in emphasis/mood/tone
▪a shift in direction/focus/policy/strategy
▪ shift to▪a sudden shift to the right in politics
▪ shift towards/toward▪a shift towards/toward part-time farming
2 division of the working dayADJECTIVE▪ double, long, split (esp. BrE)▪I agreed to work double shifts for a few weeks.
▪ day, early▪ late, swing (AmE)▪ graveyard (esp. AmE), night, overnight▪ eight-hour, ten-hour, etc.▪ afternoon, evening, morning, weekendVERB + SHIFT▪ do, work▪I'm doing the early shift this week.
▪He works the night shift.
▪I didn't realize that I'd have to work shifts.
▪ be on, come on, go on▪ be off, come off, finish, go off▪ change▪It was 8 a.m. and the nurses were changing shifts.
▪My husband changed his shifts from afternoons to nights.
SHIFT + VERB▪ begin (esp. BrE), start (esp. AmE)▪ end▪ changeSHIFT + NOUN▪ work▪ manager, supervisor, worker▪ pattern, system (both BrE)▪They'd altered his shift pattern twice in the past month.
▪ change▪The shift change took place at 10 p.m.
PREPOSITION▪ in shifts▪The clinic is staffed by ten doctors who work in shifts.
▪ on a/the shift▪{{Roman}}II.{{/Roman}}a decision for the chief nurse on each shift
verb1 moveADVERB▪ slightly▪Julie shifted her position slightly and smiled.
▪ impatiently, nervously, restlessly, uncomfortably, uneasily▪She shifted uncomfortably in her chair.
▪ awayPREPOSITION▪ 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▪ shift in your chair, shift in your seat2 changeADVERB▪ dramatically, markedly, radically▪The emphasis has shifted markedly in recent years.
▪ slightly▪ effectively▪ simply▪We cannot simply shift the responsibility onto someone else.
▪ gradually, slowly▪ quickly, rapidly▪ suddenly▪ constantly, continually▪constantly shifting alliances
▪ away▪Government grants are being shifted away from the capital to the regions.
VERB + SHIFT▪ attempt to, try to▪They tried to shift the blame onto the government.
▪ tend to▪ begin toPREPOSITION▪ (away) from▪I felt the advantage had suddenly shifted away from us.
▪ back, back and forth▪Like many plays, this one shifts back and forth in time and place.
▪ into (AmE)▪to shift into second gear
▪ out of▪In recent years, manufacturing has shifted out of the US.
▪ onto, to▪His sympathies rapidly shifted to the side of the workers.
▪ towards/toward▪These changes will shift the balance more towards/toward science subjects.
Collocations dictionary. 2013.
