Graveyard

/ˈɡreɪvˌjɑrd/

Meaning & Definition

noun
A burial ground; a place where the dead are buried.
The old graveyard on the hill was overgrown with weeds and ivy.
A place where something is discarded or abandoned, often referring to the remnants of things that are no longer in use.
The junkyard was so filled with rusted cars that it looked like a graveyard for vehicles.
A place where the past is preserved in some form, often used metaphorically.
The museum served as a graveyard of forgotten artifacts from a bygone era.

Etymology

From Middle English gravyard, from grave + yard.

Common Phrases and Expressions

graveyard shift:
A work shift that starts late at night and ends in the early morning.
graveyard humor:
A morbid sense of humor, often joking about death.
graveyard of dreams:
A phrase referring to unfulfilled aspirations and lost goals.

Related Words

Slang Meanings

Graveyard shift
I have to work the graveyard shift tonight.
Graveyard of dreams
His garage is a graveyard of dreams, filled with unfinished projects.