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Avangi Posted 12 years ago
Vocabulary
Shifting (BrE)
A poster recently used "I'm shifting rental homes."
This seems strange to me. (Well, he's probably not a native of GB.)
I'm familiar with "They're shifting his remains to make way for [sewer] drains," but the above seems "less transitive."
It seems like the poster is the one who's being "shifted," rather than the rentals. (i.e. "switching / switched")
Is "I'm shifting rental homes" idiomatic?
Thanks,
- A.
"Shifting gears" (verb) and "shifting sands" (adjective) are common in AmE, but not "shifting houses" (verb).
(I don't think! -- unless you're talking about an earthquake!)
This seems strange to me. (Well, he's probably not a native of GB.)
I'm familiar with "They're shifting his remains to make way for [sewer] drains," but the above seems "less transitive."
It seems like the poster is the one who's being "shifted," rather than the rentals. (i.e. "switching / switched")
Is "I'm shifting rental homes" idiomatic?
Thanks,
- A.
"Shifting gears" (verb) and "shifting sands" (adjective) are common in AmE, but not "shifting houses" (verb).
(I don't think! -- unless you're talking about an earthquake!)
Top answer
"shift" is an informal word for "sell something" in BE but I haven't heard this particular phrase so I'm merely guessing.
- "shift" is an informal word for "sell something" in BE but I haven't heard this particular phrase so I'm merely guessing.
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5 Answers
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"shift" is an informal word for "sell something" in BE but I haven't heard this particular phrase so I'm merely guessing.
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To shift something can be referred to anything that is being moved.
I read a couple of things regarding the poster
1, Somebody is in the business of lettings and is shifting rental homes to potential occupiers or,
2, They are moving to a new house/flat (rental home)
Is that all the poster said or is there more to the reference?
I read a couple of things regarding the poster
1, Somebody is in the business of lettings and is shifting rental homes to potential occupiers or,
2, They are moving to a new house/flat (rental home)
Is that all the poster said or is there more to the reference?
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Hi Maggie.
He's trying to write a letter to his boss asking for time off so he can "shift rental homes."
I take it to mean something like "exchange rental homes."
I was just wondering if the expression was correct BrE.
Essentially, he's "moving."
But he's moving his person, not the house.
Anyway, it's your #2. I'm just wondering if it's common to call that "shifting r
He's trying to write a letter to his boss asking for time off so he can "shift rental homes."
I take it to mean something like "exchange rental homes."
I was just wondering if the expression was correct BrE.
Essentially, he's "moving."
But he's moving his person, not the house.
Anyway, it's your #2. I'm just wondering if it's common to call that "shifting r
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Ivanhr"shift" is an informal word for "sell something" in BEThanks, Ivanhr. I think you and Maggie have put me on the right track.
Rgdz, - A.
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It's not common for BrE to say shifting.
We Brits usually say we are moving house/flat - which really sounds like we are moving the actual building but refers to an exchange of homes.
Or, simply that we are moving
I think that 'shifting rental homes' is more an American way of saying it
Perhaps this would help:
Dear Boss
I would like to take so
We Brits usually say we are moving house/flat - which really sounds like we are moving the actual building but refers to an exchange of homes.
Or, simply that we are moving
I think that 'shifting rental homes' is more an American way of saying it
Perhaps this would help:
Dear Boss
I would like to take so
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