Then something like 9/11 happens, and the sense of threat abruptly shifts.

His eyes narrowed, abruptly shifting toward a place over the Doctor's shoulder.

The machine shifted abruptly from its original line of questioning.

In one the gauge abruptly shifted to their own comfort level.

Because of the apparent shift in German policy, however, they abruptly shifted their own.

But what I do not understand is, what exactly has changed that made you so abruptly shift your position?

Margarite abruptly shifted her attention and the moment was gone.

There's a strong chance that the climate is going to shift abruptly, within a few years.

But last year, the oil receipts fell to $5 billion, and attitudes toward population growth abruptly shifted.

The ground seemed to shift abruptly, and then shift back.