| 释义 |
shiftable, a.|ʃɪftəb(ə)l|
[f. shift v. + -able.]
1. Capable of being shifted, removable.
1742Bailey (ed. 10), cites Shaks. [erroneously]. 1903J. C. Smith in R. Wallace: Life & Last Leaves 121 To him Gladstone's ‘well of truth’ seemed to have many shiftable bottoms.
2. Able to shift for himself.
1832Let. 17 Apr. in J. Constable's Corr. (1962) I. 269 Abram would have accompanied her on Monday, but as business required his going this day, we thought it quite unnecessary to alter his plans for so shiftable a young lady. 1861W. B. Brooke Out with Garibaldi xvi. 292 The old soldiers..smoking their pipes quietly, or..helping their less shiftable comrades.
Hence shiftaˈbility, the ability to be shifted.
1951[see self-liquidation 1]. 1972Linguistic Inquiry III. 377 (heading) On the shiftability of past participles. 1976Language LII. 39 The shiftability of the NP has nothing to do with whether the containing prepositional phrase has or has not originated in a relative clause. |