Definition

1. Noun:
   • The quality of being changeable, unpredictable, or lacking a fixed course: This refers to a tendency to alter direction, position, or nature frequently.
   • The quality of being deceitful, evasive, or untrustworthy: This refers to a character trait of being cunning, sly, or deliberately difficult to pin down.

Examples of Usage

• Referring to changeability:
  • The shiftiness of the market trends makes long-term planning difficult.
  • We couldn't rely on the compass due to the magnetic shiftiness in the area.
• Referring to deceitfulness:
  • The witness's shiftiness under questioning made the jury doubt his testimony.
  • His general shiftiness made it hard for anyone to trust him with a secret.

Advanced Usage

• "A shiftiness in one's eyes/gaze": A common collocation describing evasive body language that suggests dishonesty or guilt.
  • The interviewer noted a distinct shiftiness in the applicant's gaze when asked about the employment gap.

Variants and Related Words

• Shifty (adj): Exhibiting the qualities of shiftiness; deceitful or evasive in appearance or manner.
  • He had shifty eyes.
• Shift (v/n): The root verb and noun, meaning to move or change position. The noun "shiftiness" derives from the idea of changing or moving from a fixed point, both literally and figuratively.

Synonyms

• For changeability: Instability, variability, unpredictability, fickleness.
• For deceitfulness: Slyness, cunning, evasiveness, trickiness, untrustworthiness, duplicity.

Antonyms

• For changeability: Steadiness, constancy, reliability, predictability.
• For deceitfulness: Honesty, straightforwardness, candor, trustworthiness.

Related Idioms and Phrases

• "Shifty character": A common idiom describing a person whose behavior suggests dishonesty or unreliability.
  • I wouldn't do business with him; he has a reputation as a shifty character.

Noun

1. the quality of being changeable in direction
   • the shiftiness of the wind caused the boat to veer unpredictably
2. the quality of being a slippery rascal