shifty

English

Adjective

shifty (comparative shiftier, superlative shiftiest)

1. Having the appearance of someone dishonest, criminal or unreliable; such as someone with shifty eyes.

   He was a shifty character in a seedy bar and I checked my wallet was still there after talking to him.

2. Subject to frequent changes in direction.
3. Full of, or ready with, shifts or expedients.

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Wright to this entry?)

   • Charles Kingsley

     Shifty and thrifty as old Greek or modern Scot, there were few things he could not invent, and perhaps nothing he could not endure.

Translations

Having the appearance of someone dishonest, criminal or unreliable

• Finnish: epäluotettavan oloinen
• French: louche (fr), fuyant (fr)

• Italian: subdolo (it), sfuggente (it)

Subject to frequent changes in direction

• Italian: sfuggevole (it), sfuggente (it), giravolta (it), banderuola (it), voltagabbana (it)