English Lexicon

Relief-crew

/rɪˈliːf kruː/
nounCEFR B2 (Upper)Top #28500 frequency
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Comprehensive Definitions & Senses

2 senses
As noun
  1. 1

    A fresh group of workers or personnel brought in to replace another group that has finished or is exhausted from their shift.

    "The relief-crew arrived at the offshore oil rig just as the morning shift was ending."
  2. 2

    A secondary team of operators or emergency responders standing by to take over duties in continuous operations.

    "Air traffic control dispatched a relief-crew to manage the heavy holiday flight schedule."

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Antonyms & Contrasting Words (1)

Linguistic Origin & Historical Etymology

The term combines 'relief' (derived from the Old French 'relever', meaning to raise up or alleviate, originating from Latin 'relevare') and 'crew' (from Old Norse 'krúga' or Middle English via Old French 'crue', denoting a group of people associated with working a vessel or task). Established in maritime and industrial contexts during the 19th century, it describes a fresh group of workers designated to replace an exhausted team.

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