graveyard shift
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Noun:
- The work shift during the night: A period of work, typically lasting eight hours, that occurs during the late night and early morning hours (e.g., from midnight until 8 a.m.).
- The group of workers on this shift: The collective of employees who work during this nighttime period.
Usage
- The term is used to describe a specific, often demanding, work schedule. It implies working while most people are asleep.
- It is commonly used in industries that operate 24 hours a day, such as healthcare, manufacturing, security, and customer service.
Examples
- Noun (Shift Period):
- I work the graveyard shift at the hospital, so I sleep during the day.
- The factory pays a premium for employees who take the graveyard shift.
- Noun (Group of Workers):
- The graveyard shift is responsible for cleaning the entire building before morning.
Advanced Usage
- "to pull a graveyard shift": To work a single instance of the night shift.
- I have to pull a graveyard shift this Friday to cover for a colleague.
Variants and Related Words
- Night shift: A more general synonym for graveyard shift, though it can sometimes refer to any shift that occurs partly or wholly at night (e.g., 4 p.m. to midnight).
- Third shift: Another common term, especially in industrial settings, synonymous with graveyard shift.
Synonyms
- Night shift
- Third shift
- Lobster shift (a less common, informal term)
- Midnight shift
Related Phrases
- Swing shift: Typically refers to an afternoon or evening work shift (e.g., 4 p.m. to midnight), which often precedes the graveyard shift.
- Day shift: The standard work period during daylight hours, opposite of the graveyard shift.
Noun
- workers who work during the night (as midnight to 8 a.m.)
- the work shift during the night (as midnight to 8 a.m.)