shiftiness

noun

Etymology: Etymology tree English shifty Proto-Germanic *-inōną Proto-Indo-European *-dyé- Proto-Germanic *-atjaną Proto-Indo-European *-tus Proto-Germanic *-þuz Proto-Germanic *-assuz Proto-Germanic *-inassuz Proto-West Germanic *-nassī Old English -nes Middle English -nesse English -ness English shiftiness From shifty + -ness.

1. The property of being shifty.

   “Mr. Henderson's chief trouble seems to be that he cannot forget his old shiftiness of views and his pendulum-like swingings between Liberalism and Independent Labourism[…]”

2. The result or product of being shifty.

   “I had the grace or humility sometimes to see myself as a mass of shiftinesses; a few dogmas might help to steady me.”