shifty

shifty
shifty (adj.) 1570, "able to manage for oneself," from SHIFT (Cf. shift) (v.) in secondary sense + -Y (Cf. -y) (2). Meaning "using dishonest methods" first recorded 1837.

Etymology dictionary. 2014.

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  • Shifty — Shift y, a. Full of, or ready with, shifts; fertile in expedients or contrivance. Wright. [1913 Webster] Shifty and thrifty as old Greek or modern Scot, there were few things he could not invent, and perhaps nothing he could not endure. C.… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • shifty — shifty; make·shifty; …   English syllables

  • shifty — index dishonest, disingenuous, evasive, fraudulent, furtive, machiavellian, perfidious, sly, subtle ( …   Law dictionary

  • shifty — [adj] deceitful, untrustworthy cagey, collusive, conniving, contriving, crafty, crooked, cunning, devious, dishonest, dodging, duplicitous, elusive, equivocating, evasive, flyby night*, foxy, fraudulent, furtive, insidious, lying, mendacious,… …   New thesaurus

  • shifty — ► ADJECTIVE (shiftier, shiftiest) informal ▪ deceitful or evasive. DERIVATIVES shiftily adverb shiftiness noun …   English terms dictionary

  • shifty — [shif′tē] adj. shiftier, shiftiest 1. Now Rare full of shifts or expedients; resourceful 2. having or showing a tricky or deceitful nature; evasive shiftily adv. shiftiness n …   English World dictionary

  • Shifty — wiktionarypar|shiftyShifty may refer to: * Shifty Shellshock (b. 1974), American nu metal singer * Shifty Records, South African record label * Shifty Records (USA), American record label specializing in metal * Shifty, a fictional character in… …   Wikipedia

  • shifty — UK [ˈʃɪftɪ] / US adjective Word forms shifty : adjective shifty comparative shiftier superlative shiftiest informal looking dishonest shifty eyes …   English dictionary

  • shifty — adjective (shiftier; est) Date: circa 1570 1. full of or ready with expedients ; resourceful 2. a. given to deception, evasion, or fraud ; tricky b. capable of evasive movement ; elusive < a shif …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • shifty — adjective a) Having the appearance of someone dishonest, criminal or unreliable; such as someone with shifty eyes. He was a shifty character in a seedy bar and I checked my wallet was still there after talking to him. b) Subject to frequent… …   Wiktionary

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