What is "to shift off"

Shift \Shift\ (sh[i^]ft), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Shifted; p. pr. & vb. n. Shifting.] [OE. shiften, schiften, to divide, change, remove. AS. sciftan to divide; akin to LG. & D. schiften to divide, distinguish, part Icel. skipta to divide, to part, to shift, to change, Dan skifte, Sw. skifta, and probably to Icel. sk[=i]fa to cut into slices, as n., a slice, and to E. shive, sheave, n., shiver, n.]

1. To divide; to distribute; to apportion. [Obs.]

   To which God of his bounty would shift Crowns two of flowers well smelling.
   --Chaucer.

2. To change the place of; to move or remove from one place to another; as, to shift a burden from one shoulder to another; to shift the blame.

   Hastily he schifte him[self].
   --Piers Plowman.

   Pare saffron between the two St. Mary's days, Or set or go shift it that knowest the ways.
   --Tusser.

3. To change the position of; to alter the bearings of; to turn; as, to shift the helm or sails.

   Carrying the oar loose, [they] shift it hither and thither at pleasure.
   --Sir W. Raleigh.

4. To exchange for another of the same class; to remove and to put some similar thing in its place; to change; as, to shift the clothes; to shift the scenes.

   I would advise you to shift a shirt.
   --Shak.

5. To change the clothing of; -- used reflexively. [Obs.]

   As it were to ride day and night; and . . . not to have patience to shift me.
   --Shak.

6. To put off or out of the way by some expedient. ``I shifted him away.''
   --Shak.

   To shift off, to delay; to defer; to put off; to lay aside.

   To shift the scene, to change the locality or the surroundings, as in a play or a story.

   Shift the scene for half an hour; Time and place are in thy power.
   --Swift.