General
shift
What does shift mean?
A kiss with tongues — what the English call a snog. Works as noun ('got the shift off her') or verb ('did you shift anyone last night?'). Ireland's national word for it.
"He was trying to shift her all night and she wasn't having it."
Origin
Irish teenage slang of unclear origin, locked in by the disco and debs-ball generation. Synonymous with the school-disco circuit of the 80s and 90s but still going strong.
Frequently asked questions
What does shift mean as slang?
A shift is a kiss — specifically a proper snog, tongues included.
How do you use shift in a sentence?
"Did you get the shift off her at the party?"
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