different between shifting vs floating

English

Noun

shifting (plural shiftings)

1. A shift or change; a shifting movement.
   • 1811, Charles Lamb, On the Tragedies of Shakespeare Considered with Reference to their Fitness for Stage Representation

     I remember the last time I saw Macbeth played, the discrepancy I felt at the changes of garment which he varied, the shiftings and reshiftings, like a Romish priest at mass.

   • 1978, Jack Vance, The View from Chickweed's Window

     Then everyone moved at the same time — slight shiftings of the hands and feet, furtive easings of position.

2. (linguistics) The phenomenon by which two or more constituents appearing on the same side of their common head exchange positions to obtain non-canonical order.

Derived terms

• gear-shifting

Verb

shifting

1. present participle of shift

Anagrams

• infights

English

Pronunciation

• (General American) IPA^(key): /?flo?t??/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?fl??t??/
• Rhymes: -??t??

Adjective

floating (not comparable)

1. That floats or float.

   floating buoys

2. Not fixed in position, opinion etc.; free to move or drift.

   The outcome of the forthcoming election is still unclear due to the large number of floating voters.

   In China, the large floating population has tended to gravitate to cities.

   You can drag the floating toolbars to any position on the screen.

3. (linguistics, of a tone) that is not attached to any consonant or vowel within its morpheme.

Derived terms

Translations

Verb

floating

1. present participle of float

Noun

floating (plural floatings)

1. The motion of something that floats.
2. (in the plural) Material that floats in a liquid.
   • 1898, Journal of Microscopy (page 256)

     Plastic mud, brownish tinted, rich in floatings.

3. The spreading of plaster on the surface of walls.

Anagrams

• antigolf