The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Shift \Shift\ (sh[i^]ft), 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[imac]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.]
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            To which God of his bounty would shift
            Crowns two of flowers well smelling.  --Chaucer.
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   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.
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            Hastily he schifte him[self].         --Piers
                                                  Plowman.
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            Pare saffron between the two St. Mary's days,
            Or set or go shift it that knowest the ways.
                                                  --Tusser.
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   3. To change the position of; to alter the bearings of; to
      turn; as, to shift the helm or sails.
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            Carrying the oar loose, [they] shift it hither and
            thither at pleasure.                  --Sir W.
                                                  Raleigh.
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   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.
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            I would advise you to shift a shirt.  --Shak.
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   5. To change the clothing of; -- used reflexively. [Obs.]
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            As it were to ride day and night; and . . . not to
            have patience to shift me.            --Shak.
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   6. To put off or out of the way by some expedient. "I shifted
      him away." --Shak.
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   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.
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            Shift the scene for half an hour;
            Time and place are in thy power.      --Swift.
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