ESL Podcast 836 - Working Shifts

new kid on the block - a person who is new in an organization or environment, such as a child going to a new school for the first day, or a person on his or her first day in a new job

Sarah has a hard time making friends, so she really dislikes being the new kid on the block.

day shift - work performed during daylight hours, usually over an eight-hour period

After working nights for six months, Laura was finally given the day shift at the factory.

umpteen - many; a lot

Georgia said to her husband Tim, "I've told you umpteen times: put the toilet seat down!"

graveyard shift - work performed at night, when most other people are asleep, usually over an eight-hour period

People who work the graveyard shift tend to drink a lot of coffee to help them stay awake.

double shift - working two eight-hour shifts one after another, without a break between them

Working a double shift is easy for Piotr, because he used to be a medical student, and they're expected to work very long hours at least twice a week.

to get up to speed - to quickly learn something and understand it well; to learn how to do something as well as others

As a new reporter in the city, it took Edgar a few weeks to get up to speed on local events.

to save up - to accumulate or save money for some particular purpose, often by reducing expenses or working more than one normally does

Christof is saving up to buy a new boat.

time off - hours or days when one does not work as normally scheduled, perhaps because one is on vacation or has a doctor's appointment

Frank asked his boss if he could take some time off in August to attend his sister's wedding.

to cover - to work when another person cannot; to perform the work that another person would normally do; to do something to help another person so that he or she does not get in trouble

Brian had promised to go to his son's basketball game yesterday afternoon, so he asked me to cover for him at work.

to pick up - to have or get something in addition to what one would normally have

Many people pick up a few extra pounds over the holidays.

overtime - when talking about people who receive an hourly wage (not an annual salary), the time spent working beyond the 40 hours a week one would normally work, for which they receive additional payment

Truck drivers can make a lot of money through overtime.

veteran - someone who has a lot of experience and has been doing something for a long time, longer than most other people

Veteran teachers can still remember the days when there weren't computers in every classroom.

to get first dibs - to be the first one to choose something; to get to choose or have something before anyone else

As kids, we got first dibs in choosing which restaurant the family would go to on our birthday.

to give (someone) a shout - an informal phrase meaning to call someone or contact someone and tell him or her something

If you need help to move, just give me a shout.

diaper - a cloth or paper-and-plastic wrap worn around a baby's bottom and upper legs to hold urine (liquid waste) and feces (solid waste) so that it doesn't touch clothing or other objects

If we don't change the baby's diaper often enough, he gets a rash on his skin.