graveyard shift

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

• See graveyard and shift.

graveyard shift (plural graveyard shifts)

1. A night shift in a factory or other place of work, especially one from midnight to 8 AM on a three-shift schedule.
   • 2006, Roberto Refinetti, Circadian physiology, volume 1, page 580:

     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)

• (night shift, especially starting near midnight): third shift

• day shift
• swing shift