C1idiominformalworkIELTS-friendly
the graveyard shift
USUK
a period of work that lasts through the night, for example from midnight to 8 a.m.
Informal. It started in American English but is used widely. The neutral term is 'the night shift'.
In context
Nurses on the graveyard shift often find it hard to sleep during the day.
I worked the graveyard shift at a petrol station when I was a student.
More idioms about work
- a baptism of firea very difficult first experience of a new job or activity
- a cushy joba job that is easy and pleasant but still pays well
- a dead-end joba job with no chance of promotion or of learning anything new
- a jack of all tradesa person who can do many different kinds of work fairly well
- a labour of lovehard work that you do because you enjoy it or care about it, not for money