A shiftless person is lazy in a particular way: they do not try, they do not plan, and they seem to have no wish to get on. It is stronger and ruder than just lazy.

a shiftless person一個懶散的人 is lazy很懶 in a particular way在某種特定的方式上: they do not try他們不嘗試, they do not plan不計畫, and they seem to have no wish to get on而且似乎不想力求上進. than just lazy比只是懶 it是 stronger and ruder更強烈、更粗魯.

You might hear an older speaker use it about someone who will not look for work, or who lets things fall apart. It is old-fashioned and rather harsh; a kind person would not throw this word at a student.

you might hear你可能會聽到 an older speaker年長的說話者 use it用這個詞 to describe來形容 someone who will not look for work不肯找工作, or who lets things fall apart或任由事情一團糟的人. it這個詞 is old-fashioned and rather harsh很老派又相當刻薄; a kind person善良的人 would not throw this word at a student不會把這個詞丟向學生.

Though actually, the shift in shiftless is not the “move to another place” shift. In older English, a shift was a way of managing — the knack of looking after yourself.

though actually不過事實上, the shift in shiftlessshiftless裡的shift is not並不是 the "move to another place" shift「搬到別的地方」的那個shift. in older English在較早期的英文裡, a shift一個shift was是 a way of managing一種應付的方法 — the knack of looking after yourself照顧好自己的訣竅.

So shiftless first meant “without that knack,” and then “unwilling to make any effort.” It is not the opposite of shifty, even though both start with shift: a shifty person is busy in a sneaky way; a shiftless person can hardly be bothered to be busy at all.

so shiftless所以shiftless first meant一開始的意思是 "without that knack,"「沒有那種訣竅」 and then後來變成 "unwilling to make any effort."「不願意花力氣」. it這個詞 is not並不是 the opposite of shiftyshifty的反義詞, even though雖然 both都以 start with shiftshift開頭: a shifty personshifty的人 is忙碌的方式是 busy in a sneaky way鬼鬼祟祟的; a shiftless personshiftless的人 can hardly be bothered to be busy at all卻懶到根本不想忙.