See shifter on Wiktionary
{
"derived": [
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
"word": "barrel shifter"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
"word": "column shifter"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
"word": "left-handed smoke shifter"
},
{
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},
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
"word": "phase shifter"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
"word": "quick shifter"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
"word": "scene-shifter"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
"word": "shapeshifter"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
"word": "shifter cart"
},
{
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"word": "video shifter"
}
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"args": {
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"2": "shift",
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"tags": [
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]
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{
"args": {},
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],
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{
"_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
"word": "stickshift"
}
],
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{
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"_dis": "59 0 41 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
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}
],
"glosses": [
"One who, or that which, shifts or changes."
],
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[
"shifts",
"shifts"
],
[
"changes",
"changes"
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{
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52,
59
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],
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"text": "The cigarette is analogous to what linguists call a shifter, like the word I ; this device for expressing the irreducible particularity of my innermost self is universally available to every speaker and is thus the least particular thing in the world. The smoker manipulates the cigarette, like the word I, to tell stories to him/herself about him/herself — or to an other.",
"type": "quote"
}
],
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"A word whose meaning changes depending on the situation, as by deixis."
],
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"(linguistics) A word whose meaning changes depending on the situation, as by deixis."
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{
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"text": "'Twas ſuch a ſhifter, that if truth were known, / Death was half glad when he had got him down;",
"type": "quote"
}
],
"glosses": [
"Someone who plays tricks; a trickster."
],
"id": "en-shifter-en-noun--~JCH9wM",
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[
"tricks",
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[
"trickster",
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"(dated) Someone who plays tricks; a trickster."
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"tags": [
"dated"
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"categories": [
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"An assistant to the ship's cook in washing, soaking, and shifting the salt provisions."
],
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"ship",
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[
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"(nautical) An assistant to the ship's cook in washing, soaking, and shifting the salt provisions."
],
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],
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"A control device (usually a lever or button) for shifting gears in a gearbox, or an arrangement for shifting a belt sidewise from one pulley to another."
],
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"engineering",
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],
[
"lever",
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],
[
"button",
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[
"shifting gears",
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],
[
"gearbox",
"gearbox"
],
[
"belt",
"belt"
],
[
"sidewise",
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],
[
"pulley",
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]
],
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"(engineering) A control device (usually a lever or button) for shifting gears in a gearbox, or an arrangement for shifting a belt sidewise from one pulley to another."
],
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"engineering",
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"name": "Textiles",
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"A wire for changing a loop from one needle to another, as in narrowing, etc."
],
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[
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"needle",
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"(engineering, textiles) A wire for changing a loop from one needle to another, as in narrowing, etc."
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],
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"A component used by the rider to control the gearing mechanisms and select the desired gear ratio, usually connected to the derailleur by a mechanical actuation cable."
],
"id": "en-shifter-en-noun-R83NmWBo",
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],
[
"component",
"component"
],
[
"rider",
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[
"gear ratio",
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],
[
"derailleur",
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],
[
"mechanical",
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],
[
"actuation",
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],
[
"cable",
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]
],
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"(cycling) A component used by the rider to control the gearing mechanisms and select the desired gear ratio, usually connected to the derailleur by a mechanical actuation cable."
],
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"cycling",
"hobbies",
"lifestyle",
"sports"
]
},
{
"glosses": [
"A spanner with an adjustable jaw size."
],
"id": "en-shifter-en-noun--rQZQzAK",
"links": [
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]
]
},
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}
],
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"A person employed to repair the horseways and other passages, and keep them unobstructed."
],
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"(mining, historical) A person employed to repair the horseways and other passages, and keep them unobstructed."
],
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},
{
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],
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"A switcher or shunter: a railroad locomotive used for shunting."
],
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[
"switcher",
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],
[
"shunter",
"shunter"
],
[
"railroad",
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[
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[
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],
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"(US, Pennsylvania) A switcher or shunter: a railroad locomotive used for shunting."
],
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"US"
]
},
{
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"kind": "other",
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{
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{
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{
"_dis": "5 11 5 5 10 4 12 3 6 6 11 6 15",
"kind": "other",
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],
"glosses": [
"A shape-shifter; a person or other being capable of changing their physical form, especially a lycanthrope."
],
"id": "en-shifter-en-noun-bulNJsBa",
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],
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]
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"(mythology, science fiction, fantasy) A shape-shifter; a person or other being capable of changing their physical form, especially a lycanthrope."
],
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{
"source": "Thesaurus:shape-shifter",
"word": "changeling"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:shape-shifter",
"word": "shape-shifter"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:shape-shifter",
"word": "shapeshifter"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:shape-shifter",
"word": "shifter"
}
],
"topics": [
"fantasy",
"human-sciences",
"literature",
"media",
"mysticism",
"mythology",
"philosophy",
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"science-fiction",
"sciences"
]
},
{
"glosses": [
"A shiftworker."
],
"id": "en-shifter-en-noun-RsPxDSpu",
"links": [
[
"shiftworker",
"shiftworker"
]
]
},
{
"alt_of": [
{
"word": "reality shifter"
}
],
"categories": [
{
"_dis": "3 11 1 1 12 5 14 3 5 3 15 8 19",
"kind": "other",
"name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
"parents": [],
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{
"_dis": "5 11 5 5 10 4 12 3 6 6 11 6 15",
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{
"_dis": "5 12 1 1 11 3 14 1 5 1 12 9 24",
"kind": "other",
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},
{
"_dis": "5 12 1 1 11 3 14 1 5 1 12 9 24",
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"source": "w+disamb"
}
],
"glosses": [
"Short for reality shifter."
],
"id": "en-shifter-en-noun-yl2sABvM",
"links": [
[
"reality shifter",
"reality shifter#English"
]
],
"qualifier": "spirituality",
"raw_glosses": [
"(spirituality) Short for reality shifter."
],
"tags": [
"abbreviation",
"alt-of"
]
}
],
"sounds": [
{
"audio": "LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-shifter.wav",
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},
{
"rhymes": "-ɪftə(ɹ)"
}
],
"word": "shifter"
}
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"English lemmas",
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"Rhymes:English/ɪftə(ɹ)",
"Rhymes:English/ɪftə(ɹ)/2 syllables",
"en:People"
],
"derived": [
{
"word": "barrel shifter"
},
{
"word": "column shifter"
},
{
"word": "left-handed smoke shifter"
},
{
"word": "paddle shifter"
},
{
"word": "phase shifter"
},
{
"word": "quick shifter"
},
{
"word": "scene-shifter"
},
{
"word": "shapeshifter"
},
{
"word": "shifter cart"
},
{
"word": "video shifter"
}
],
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"2": "shift",
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"forms": [
{
"form": "shifters",
"tags": [
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]
}
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{
"args": {},
"expansion": "shifter (plural shifters)",
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"pos": "noun",
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"word": "stickshift"
}
],
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{
"glosses": [
"One who, or that which, shifts or changes."
],
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],
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]
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52,
59
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],
"ref": "1995, Richard Klein, “Introduction”, in Cigarettes are sublime, Paperback edition, Durham: Duke University Press, published 1993, →ISBN, →OCLC, page 9:",
"text": "The cigarette is analogous to what linguists call a shifter, like the word I ; this device for expressing the irreducible particularity of my innermost self is universally available to every speaker and is thus the least particular thing in the world. The smoker manipulates the cigarette, like the word I, to tell stories to him/herself about him/herself — or to an other.",
"type": "quote"
}
],
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"A word whose meaning changes depending on the situation, as by deixis."
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[
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[
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],
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"(linguistics) A word whose meaning changes depending on the situation, as by deixis."
],
"topics": [
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},
{
"categories": [
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20
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"ref": "1646 (indicated as 1645), John Milton, Poems of Mr. John Milton, […], London: […] Ruth Raworth for Humphrey Mosely, […], →OCLC, page 28:",
"text": "'Twas ſuch a ſhifter, that if truth were known, / Death was half glad when he had got him down;",
"type": "quote"
}
],
"glosses": [
"Someone who plays tricks; a trickster."
],
"links": [
[
"tricks",
"tricks"
],
[
"trickster",
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"(dated) Someone who plays tricks; a trickster."
],
"tags": [
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]
},
{
"categories": [
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],
"glosses": [
"An assistant to the ship's cook in washing, soaking, and shifting the salt provisions."
],
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[
"nautical",
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[
"assistant",
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[
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[
"cook",
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],
[
"soak",
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]
],
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"(nautical) An assistant to the ship's cook in washing, soaking, and shifting the salt provisions."
],
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"nautical",
"transport"
]
},
{
"categories": [
"en:Engineering"
],
"glosses": [
"A control device (usually a lever or button) for shifting gears in a gearbox, or an arrangement for shifting a belt sidewise from one pulley to another."
],
"links": [
[
"engineering",
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],
[
"lever",
"lever"
],
[
"button",
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[
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],
[
"gearbox",
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[
"belt",
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],
[
"sidewise",
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],
[
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]
],
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"(engineering) A control device (usually a lever or button) for shifting gears in a gearbox, or an arrangement for shifting a belt sidewise from one pulley to another."
],
"topics": [
"engineering",
"natural-sciences",
"physical-sciences"
]
},
{
"categories": [
"en:Engineering",
"en:Textiles"
],
"glosses": [
"A wire for changing a loop from one needle to another, as in narrowing, etc."
],
"links": [
[
"engineering",
"engineering#Noun"
],
[
"textiles",
"textiles"
],
[
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[
"loop",
"loop"
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[
"needle",
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[
"narrow",
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],
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"(engineering, textiles) A wire for changing a loop from one needle to another, as in narrowing, etc."
],
"topics": [
"business",
"engineering",
"manufacturing",
"natural-sciences",
"physical-sciences",
"textiles"
]
},
{
"categories": [
"en:Cycling"
],
"glosses": [
"A component used by the rider to control the gearing mechanisms and select the desired gear ratio, usually connected to the derailleur by a mechanical actuation cable."
],
"links": [
[
"cycling",
"cycling#Noun"
],
[
"component",
"component"
],
[
"rider",
"rider"
],
[
"gear ratio",
"gear ratio"
],
[
"derailleur",
"derailleur"
],
[
"mechanical",
"mechanical"
],
[
"actuation",
"actuation"
],
[
"cable",
"cable"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(cycling) A component used by the rider to control the gearing mechanisms and select the desired gear ratio, usually connected to the derailleur by a mechanical actuation cable."
],
"topics": [
"cycling",
"hobbies",
"lifestyle",
"sports"
]
},
{
"glosses": [
"A spanner with an adjustable jaw size."
],
"links": [
[
"spanner",
"spanner"
]
]
},
{
"categories": [
"English terms with historical senses",
"en:Mining"
],
"glosses": [
"A person employed to repair the horseways and other passages, and keep them unobstructed."
],
"links": [
[
"mining",
"mining#Noun"
],
[
"repair",
"repair"
],
[
"horseway",
"horseway"
],
[
"passage",
"passage"
],
[
"unobstructed",
"unobstructed"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(mining, historical) A person employed to repair the horseways and other passages, and keep them unobstructed."
],
"tags": [
"historical"
],
"topics": [
"business",
"mining"
]
},
{
"categories": [
"American English",
"Pennsylvania English"
],
"glosses": [
"A switcher or shunter: a railroad locomotive used for shunting."
],
"links": [
[
"switcher",
"switcher"
],
[
"shunter",
"shunter"
],
[
"railroad",
"railroad"
],
[
"locomotive",
"locomotive"
],
[
"shunt",
"shunt"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(US, Pennsylvania) A switcher or shunter: a railroad locomotive used for shunting."
],
"tags": [
"Pennsylvania",
"US"
]
},
{
"categories": [
"en:Fantasy",
"en:Mythology",
"en:Science fiction"
],
"glosses": [
"A shape-shifter; a person or other being capable of changing their physical form, especially a lycanthrope."
],
"links": [
[
"mythology",
"mythology"
],
[
"science fiction",
"science fiction"
],
[
"fantasy",
"fantasy"
],
[
"shape-shifter",
"shape-shifter"
],
[
"lycanthrope",
"lycanthrope"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(mythology, science fiction, fantasy) A shape-shifter; a person or other being capable of changing their physical form, especially a lycanthrope."
],
"synonyms": [
{
"source": "Thesaurus:shape-shifter",
"word": "changeling"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:shape-shifter",
"word": "shape-shifter"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:shape-shifter",
"word": "shapeshifter"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:shape-shifter",
"word": "shifter"
}
],
"topics": [
"fantasy",
"human-sciences",
"literature",
"media",
"mysticism",
"mythology",
"philosophy",
"publishing",
"science-fiction",
"sciences"
]
},
{
"glosses": [
"A shiftworker."
],
"links": [
[
"shiftworker",
"shiftworker"
]
]
},
{
"alt_of": [
{
"word": "reality shifter"
}
],
"categories": [
"English short forms"
],
"glosses": [
"Short for reality shifter."
],
"links": [
[
"reality shifter",
"reality shifter#English"
]
],
"qualifier": "spirituality",
"raw_glosses": [
"(spirituality) Short for reality shifter."
],
"tags": [
"abbreviation",
"alt-of"
]
}
],
"sounds": [
{
"audio": "LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-shifter.wav",
"mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/0/0c/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Flame%2C_not_lame-shifter.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Flame%2C_not_lame-shifter.wav.mp3",
"ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/0/0c/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Flame%2C_not_lame-shifter.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Flame%2C_not_lame-shifter.wav.ogg"
},
{
"rhymes": "-ɪftə(ɹ)"
}
],
"word": "shifter"
}
Download raw JSONL data for shifter meaning in All languages combined (7.9kB)
This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable All languages combined dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2025-05-24 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2025-05-20 using wiktextract (5d527b9 and f1c2b61). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.
If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.