Shifty

Pronunciation: /ˈʃɪfti/

Definitions of shifty

adjective deceitful or evasive in character or behavior; untrustworthy

Example Sentences

A1 He looked shifty when he avoided making eye contact.

A2 The shifty salesman tried to sell me a broken watch.

B1 The detective knew the suspect was shifty based on his nervous behavior.

B2 She had a shifty look in her eyes, making me question her intentions.

C1 The politician's shifty behavior raised suspicions among the public.

C2 The shifty character in the movie turned out to be the mastermind behind the crime.

Examples of shifty in a Sentence

formal The suspect had a shifty demeanor during the police interrogation.

informal I don't trust him, he seems a bit shifty.

slang That guy gives me the creeps, he's so shifty.

figurative Her eyes darted around the room, giving off a shifty vibe.

Grammatical Forms of shifty

• past tense: shifted
• plural: shifties
• comparative: shiftier
• superlative: shiftiest
• present tense: shift
• future tense: will shift
• perfect tense: have shifted
• continuous tense: is shifting
• singular: shifty
• positive degree: shifty
• infinitive: to shift
• gerund: shifting
• participle: shifted

Origin and Evolution of shifty

First Known Use: 1250 year

Language of Origin: Old English

Story behind the word: The word 'shifty' originated from the Old English word 'sciftan' meaning to arrange or divide.

Evolution of the word: Over time, the meaning of 'shifty' evolved from simply arranging or dividing to having a sense of being deceitful or untrustworthy.