third shift
n.— «The simplest and most dramatic form of the problem is something that Asia-based investigators jocularly refer to as the “third shift,” the “midnight shift,” or the “ghost shift. Say a U.S. company orders 20,000 dresses from an overseas factory. The contractor fills the order during its two day shifts but then runs off 10,000 extra at night, possibly using inferior materials. Those he sells out the back door, so to speak, trademark and all.…In addition to literal night-shift activity, the “third shift” is an umbrella term for any form of unauthorized production by otherwise authorized contractors. A common variant arises when a brand owner tells an overseas contractor to stop producing a line of product, and the contractor doesn’t.» —“Not exactly counterfeit” by Roger Parloff Fortune May 1, 2006. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
Alan Connor serves as crossword puzzle editor for The Guardian, and his new book is a word lover’s delight. It’s called 188 Words for Rain: A Delightfully Damp Tour of the British Isles Led by Natural Forces (Amazon). The book opens 7,000 feet above...
What’s up with ketchup? The shifting history and spelling of the name of this condiment. For centuries, ketchup was a fishy sauce originating in Asia—the tomatoes came only later! Plus, a new book shows what’s lost when a language dies: when there...