lua - Popping the first element off an array -

i have array x in lua. set head = x[1] , rest = rest of array, rest[1] = x[2], rest[2] = x[3], etc.

how can this?

(note: don't care if original array gets mutated. in javascript head = x.shift() , x contain remaining elements.)

head = table.remove(x, 1)

"pop" bit of misnomer, implies cheap operation, , removing first element of table requires relocating rest of contents--hence name "shift" in javascript , other languages.