verb. (common).—1. To eat; and especially to drink. Hence SHIFTER = a drunkard.
2. (old).—To change one’s smock; to change one’s clothes.
1695. CONGREVE, Love for Love, i. 4. Bid Margery put more flocks in her bed, SHIFT twice a-week, and not work so hard, that she may not smell so vigorously.
TO DO A SHIFT, verb. phr. (common).—1. To go away; to change one’s quarters.
1892. National Observer, 27 Feb., 378. But if you arst me, do I ever DO A SHIFT? Am I particklerly partial to a fuss?… Speaking as one man to another,—Yuss!
2. (common).—To evacuate.
TO SHIFT ONE’S BOB. See BOB.
