I soon found Briony Lodge. It is a bijou villa, with a garden at the back, but built out in front right up to the road, two stories. Chubb lock to the door. Large sitting-room on the right side, well furnished, with long windows almost to the floor, and those preposterous English window fasteners which a child could open.

After finding out she had terminal cancer, she tried to block out any thoughts of her own mortality.

to shake fruit down from a tree

In addition, overshifting to one side and undershifting to the other may be used as a defensive plan to meet personnel or field problems.