upshift

Etymology

From Middle English upshiften, upschyften (“to raise”), equivalent to up- +‎ shift.

Pronunciation

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Noun

upshift (plural upshifts)

1. (automotive, cycling) A shift to a higher gear
   • 1999, Kurt Neuffer, Kurt Engelsdorf, “Transmission Control”, in Ronald K. Jurgen, editor, Automotive Electronics Handbook‎, page 323:

     For example, the vehicle starts off in second gear or an upshift takes place at lower engine speeds.

2. A shift to a higher level, such as of frequency, growth, economic level, etc.

Verb

upshift (third-person singular simple present upshifts, present participle upshifting, simple past and past participle upshifted)

1. (automotive, cycling) To shift to a higher gear

   You can upshift to second gear once the car is moving.

2. (transitive) To shift to a higher level, such as of frequency, growth rate, economic level, etc.

   The frequency of the light is upshifted.

   • 2010, Meryl Runion, How To Restore Sanity To Our Political Conversations, page 113:

     That's how you upshift a conversation so you can navigate the great political divide in a way that insights, not incites.

   • 2014, Lyn Sharratt, Gale Harild, Good to Great to Innovate:

     Collectively, we need to “up-shift” our thinking—we need a new mindset.

   • 2016, Amal Treacher Kabesh, Postcolonial Masculinities, page 73:

     Irritation will also occur if you or your family have never had, and will never have, a chance to 'upshift'.