Dictionary

graveyard shift en · NOUN

Etymology

By association of the spooky, cold and silent properties of both the night and graveyards.

Meanings

1. A work shift late at night, especially one from midnight to 8 AM on a three-shift schedule.
   • I had to work the graveyard shift for most of that year, and at first I hated it, but eventually I even kind of liked it, in some ways.
   • Near-synonym: night shift (sometimes synonymous; sometimes coordinate)
   • It is generally believed that when rotating shifts are necessary the rotation should move clockwise (that is, day shift first, then swing shift, then graveyard shift, then back to day shift, and so on) 2006, Roberto Refinetti, Circadian physiology, volume 1, page 580:
   • Now she's workin' the graveyard shift at the hospital. She'll be comin' home in less than an hour and a half. Make your phone calls, talk to your people, then get the fuck out of my house. 1994, Quentin Tarantino, Roger Avary, Pulp Fiction, spoken by Jimmie (Quentin Tarantino):
2. A group of workers who work during this time slot.
   • You'll have to ask the graveyard shift — the equipment was here when we left.
   • Near-synonym: night shift (sometimes synonymous; sometimes coordinate)

Forms

Antonyms

day shift · day shift

Coordinates

first shift · third shift · swing shift · first shift · second shift · second shift · swing shift · third shift

Deriveds

graveyard shifter

Relateds

graveyard watch

Synonyms

night shift · night shift