shiftless

shiftless
adjective Etymology: shift (resourcefulness) Date: 1584 1. lacking in resourcefulness ; inefficient 2. lacking in ambition or incentive ; lazy <
shiftless freeloaders
>
shiftlessly adverbshiftlessness noun

New Collegiate Dictionary. 2001.

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  • Shiftless — Shift less, a. Destitute of expedients, or not using successful expedients; characterized by failure, especially by failure to provide for one s own support, through negligence or incapacity; hence, lazy; improvident; thriftless; as, a shiftless… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • shiftless — index idle, improvident, indolent, irresponsible, remiss, truant Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 …   Law dictionary

  • shiftless — (adj.) wanting in resources, 1580s, from SHIFT (Cf. shift) (n.) + LESS (Cf. less). Related: Shiftlessly; shiftlessness …   Etymology dictionary

  • shiftless — [adj] lazy apathetic, dallying, directionless, good for nothing, idle, inattentive, incompetent, indolent, lackadaisical, laggard, lagging, lethargic, lifeless, loafing, procrastinating, slack, slothful, unambitious, unenergetic, unindustrious,… …   New thesaurus

  • shiftless — ► ADJECTIVE ▪ lazy, indolent, and lacking ambition. DERIVATIVES shiftlessness noun …   English terms dictionary

  • shiftless — [shift′lis] adj. 1. lacking the will or ability to do or accomplish; incapable, inefficient, lazy, etc. 2. showing such lack shiftlessly adv. shiftlessness n …   English World dictionary

  • shiftless — [[t]ʃɪ̱ftləs[/t]] ADJ (disapproval) If you describe someone as shiftless, you mean that they are lazy and have no desire to achieve anything. ...a shiftless husband …   English dictionary

  • shiftless — adjective lazy and seeming to have no interest in working hard or trying to succeed: my shiftless nephew, who was never any good shiftlessly adverb shiftlessness noun …   Longman dictionary of contemporary English

  • shiftless — adjective he thought the whole family shiftless and dishonest Syn: lazy, idle, indolent, slothful, lethargic, lackadaisical; spiritless, apathetic, feckless, good for nothing, worthless; unambitious, unenterprising …   Thesaurus of popular words

  • shiftless — shiftlessly, adv. shiftlessness, n. /shift lis/, adj. 1. lacking in resourcefulness; inefficient; lazy. 2. lacking in incentive, ambition, or aspiration. [1555 65; SHIFT + LESS] Syn. 1. slothful, careless, indolent. * * * …   Universalium

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