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shifting |
4 definitions found From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Shift \Shift\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Shifted}; p. pr & vb n. {Shifting}.] [OE. shiften, schiften, to divide, change, remove. AS sciftan to divide; akin to LG & D. schiften to divide, distinguish, part Icel. skipta to divide, to part to shift, to change, Dan skifte Sw skifta and probably to Icel. sk[=i]fa to cut into slices, as n., a slice, and to E. shive, sheave, n., shiver, n.] 1. To divide; to distribute; to apportion. [Obs.] To which God of his bounty would shift Crowns two of flowers well smelling. --Chaucer. 2. To change the place of to move or remove from one place to another; as to shift a burden from one shoulder to another; to shift the blame. Hastily he schifte him[self]. --Piers Plowman. Pare saffron between the two St Mary's days, Or set or go shift it that knowest the ways. --Tusser. 3. To change the position of to alter the bearings of to turn; as to shift the helm or sails. Carrying the oar loose, [they] shift it hither and thither at pleasure. --Sir W. Raleigh. 4. To exchange for another of the same class; to remove and to put some similar thing in its place to change; as to shift the clothes; to shift the scenes. I would advise you to shift a shirt. --Shak. 5. To change the clothing of -- used reflexively. [Obs.] As it were to ride day and night; and . . . not to have patience to shift me --Shak. 6. To put off or out of the way by some expedient. ``I shifted him away.'' --Shak. {To shift off}, to delay; to defer; to put off to lay aside. {To shift the scene}, to change the locality or the surroundings, as in a play or a story. Shift the scene for half an hour; Time and place are in thy power. --Swift. From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Shifting \Shift"ing\, a. 1. Changing in place position, or direction; varying; variable; fickle; as shifting winds; shifting opinions or principles. 2. Adapted or used for shifting anything {Shifting backstays} (Naut.), temporary stays that have to be let go whenever the vessel tacks or jibes. {Shifting ballast}, ballast which may be moved from one side of a vessel to another as safety requires. {Shifting center}. See {Metacenter}. {Shifting locomotive}. See {Switching engine}, under {Switch}. From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Use \Use\, n. [OE. us use usage, L. usus, from uti, p. p. usus, to use See {Use}, v. t.] 1. The act of employing anything or of applying it to one's service; the state of being so employed or applied; application; employment; conversion to some purpose; as the use of a pen in writing; his machines are in general use Books can never teach the use of books. --Bacon. This Davy serves you for good uses. --Shak. When he framed All things to man's delightful use --Milton. 2. Occasion or need to employ; necessity; as to have no further use for a book. --Shak. 3. Yielding of service; advantage derived; capability of being used usefulness; utility. God made two great lights, great for their use To man. --Milton. 'T is use alone that sanctifies expense. --Pope. 4. Continued or repeated practice; customary employment; usage; custom; manner; habit. Let later age that noble use envy. --Spenser. How weary, stale, flat and unprofitable, Seem to me all the uses of this world! --Shak. 5. Common occurrence; ordinary experience. [R.] O C[ae]sar! these things are beyond all use --Shak. 6. (Eccl.) The special form of ritual adopted for use in any diocese; as the Sarum, or Canterbury, use the Hereford use the York use the Roman use etc From henceforth all the whole realm shall have but one use --Pref. to Book of Common Prayer. 7. The premium paid for the possession and employment of borrowed money; interest; usury. [Obs.] Thou art more obliged to pay duty and tribute, use and principal, to him --Jer. Taylor. 8. [In this sense probably a corruption of OF oes, fr L. opus need business, employment, work Cf {Operate}.] (Law) The benefit or profit of lands and tenements. Use imports a trust and confidence reposed in a man for the holding of lands. He to whose use or benefit the trust is intended shall enjoy the profits. An estate is granted and limited to A for the use of B. 9. (Forging) A stab of iron welded to the side of a forging, as a shaft, near the end and afterward drawn down by hammering, so as to lengthen the forging. {Contingent}, or {Springing}, {use} (Law), a use to come into operation on a future uncertain event. {In use}. a In employment; in customary practice observance. b In heat; -- said especially of mares. --J. H. Walsh. {Of no use}, useless; of no advantage. {Of use}, useful; of advantage; profitable. {Out of use}, not in employment. {Resulting use} (Law), a use which being limited by the deed, expires or can not vest, and results or returns to him who raised it after such expiration. {Secondary}, or {Shifting}, {use}, a use which though executed, may change from one to another by circumstances. --Blackstone. {Statute of uses} (Eng. Law), the stat. 27 Henry VIII., cap. 10, which transfers uses into possession, or which unites the use and possession. {To make use of}, {To put to use}, to employ; to derive service from to use From WordNet r 1.6 [wn]: shifting adj 1: continuously moving or changing from position or direction; "he drifted into the shifting crowd"; "their nervous shifting glances" 2: continuously varying; "taffeta with shifting colors" 3: (of soil) unstable; "shifting sands"; "unfirm earth" [syn: {unfirm}] n : the act of moving from one place to another [syn: {shift}]
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