nine-to-five
[ nahyn-tuh-fahyv ]
/ ˈnaɪn təˈfaɪv /
adjective Informal.
of, relating to, or during the workday, especially the hours from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. when offices are characteristically open for business: the nine-to-five grind.
of, reflecting, or exhibiting a lack of willingness to work beyond the required amount of time or with more than minimal effort: With your nine-to-five mentality, you'll never get a promotion.
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RELATED WORDS
task, appointment, office, business, career, assignment, work, spot, profession, stint, place, activity, position, post, trade, operation, situation, living, subsistence, sustenance
Nearby words
- nine worthies,
- nine-banded armadillo,
- nine-days wonder,
- nine-eleven,
- nine-spot,
- ninebark,
- ninefold,
- ninepence,
- ninepenny,
- ninepins
Origin of nine-to-five
First recorded in 1955–60
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019