The early shifts, tough (8)
I believe the answer is:
leathery
'tough' is the definition.
(similar in meaning)
'the early shifts' is the wordplay.
'shifts' is an anagram indicator.
'the'+'early'='theearly'
'theearly' is an anagram of 'LEATHERY'.
(Other definitions for leathery that I've seen before include "like old boots?" , "Tough, wrinkled (skin)" , "as old balls?" , "rather tough" , "Like tough skin" .)