Meanings
- informalDoom, end; game over.
If the Germans win, it will be goodnight nurse. The Japs will annex this bit of the world.
2021, Bronwyn Davies, New Lives in an Old Land, page 662 more examples
It was goodnight nurse for him. Karl was getting to his feet, and Dean, who was really getting going, was straight into him. He rained blows onto Karl, and, once again, Karl hit the deck this time and was out for the count.
2014, Dennis J. McTaggart, Cold Gold II, page 123Once they had found a target, they would radio back the details and location and then it was 'Goodnight nurse' as he put it, because within minutes a missile with a tactical nuclear warhead would be launched and on its way.
2020, Michael Graham, On Operations with C Squadron SAS, page xiii
Cite this entry
goodnight nurse. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/goodnight%20nurse
“goodnight nurse.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/goodnight%20nurse. Accessed November 5, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “goodnight nurse,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/goodnight%20nurse.
Source: goodnight nurse on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.