different between cozener vs shifter

English

Alternative forms

• (16th century): cosener, cosiner, cousoner, coosener, cossoner, cousener
• (17th century): cos’ner, cosener, cosiner, couzener, coz’ner, cozoner

Etymology

cozen +? -er

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) enPR: k??z?n?r, k?z?n?r, IPA^(key): /?k?z?n?/, /?k?zn?/

Noun

cozener (plural cozeners)

1. An imposter, a swindler.

Related terms

• cozen
• cozenage

References

• “cozener” listed in the Oxford English Dictionary [2nd ed., 1989]

English

Etymology

shift +? -er

Noun

shifter (plural shifters)

1. One who, or that which, shifts or changes.
2. (linguistics) A word whose meaning changes depending on the situation, as by deixis.
3. (dated) One who plays tricks or practices artifice; a cozener.
4. (nautical) An assistant to the ship's cook in washing, steeping, and shifting the salt provisions.
5. (engineering) An arrangement for shifting a belt sidewise from one pulley to another.
6. (engineering, textiles) A wire for changing a loop from one needle to another, as in narrowing, etc.
7. (cycling) A component used by the rider to control the gearing mechanisms and select the desired gear ratio, usually connected to the derailleur by a mechanical actuation cable.
8. A spanner with an adjustable jaw size.
9. (mining, historical) A person employed to repair the horseways and other passages, and keep them unobstructed.
10. (US, Pennsylvania) A switcher or shunter: a railroad locomotive used for shunting.
11. (mythology, science fiction, fantasy) A shape-shifter, or a person or other being capable of changing their physical form.
12. (erotica) A genre of erotica focusing on lycanthropes or other shapeshifters, such as werewolves.

Synonyms

• (shapeshifter): See Thesaurus:shape-shifter.

Derived terms

• shifter cart
• phase shifter
• video shifter

Anagrams

• reshift