backshift

== English == === Etymology === From back +‎ shift. === Pronunciation === (UK, US) IPA(key): /ˈbækʃɪft/ === Noun === backshift (countable and uncountable, plural backshifts) (grammar) The changing of the tense of a verb from present to past in reported speech. (statistics) A function on a stochastic process whose value on any random variable is the preceding random variable in the process. === Verb === backshift (third-person singular simple present backshifts, present participle backshifting, simple past and past participle backshifted) (grammar, transitive) To change the tense of a verb from present to past in reported speech.