burn the midnight oil

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burn the midnight oil

To stay up late working on a project or task. The phrase refers to the outdated practice of using an oil lamp. Denise has been burning the midnight oil trying to finish this report, so she must be exhausted. I'll need to burn the midnight oil to have any chance of finishing this paper before class tomorrow morning.

See also: burn, midnight, oil

burn the midnight oil

Fig. to stay up working, especially studying, late at night. (Alludes to working by the light of an oil lamp late in the night.) I have a big exam tomorrow so I'll be burning the midnight oil tonight. If you burn the midnight oil night after night, you'll probably become ill.

See also: burn, midnight, oil

burn the midnight oil

Stay up late working or studying, as in The semester is almost over and we're all burning the midnight oil before exams. This expression alludes to the oil in oil lamps. [Early 1600s]

See also: burn, midnight, oil

burn the midnight oil

If you burn the midnight oil, you stay up very late at night in order to finish a piece of work. He's been burning the midnight oil getting his article written. The truth is, I haven't been sleeping all that much lately. Burning the midnight oil. Note: The image here is of someone working late into the night by the light of an oil lamp.

See also: burn, midnight, oil

burn the midnight oil

read or work late into the night.

See also: burn, midnight, oil

burn the midnight ˈoil

work or study until very late at night: Before my exams, I was burning the midnight oil every night.

See also: burn, midnight, oil

burn the midnight oil

To work or study very late at night.

See also: burn, midnight, oil

References in periodicals archive ?

He said: 'I had to burn the midnight oil a few times and Anne did become a bit of a computer widow.

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Now Sparky will burn the midnight oil with his backroom staff over the next few days to discuss his findings.

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Ford, who signed McRae for pounds 6 million to spearhead their World Championship campaign, will burn the midnight oil to ensure he lines up for the Swedish Rally a week on Friday.

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He said: "It's important that heads understand that we don't expect them to burn the midnight oil preparing policy documents on every aspect of school life for us.

Teacher in drink tragedy

GREGGS the bakers are to burn the midnight oil with the group's first ever late night shop in Birmingham at Paradise Forum.

On a roll in the early hours

But there will be no need for the Scot to burn the midnight oil in his Wilmslowhome again as United roused themselves after a lethargic start to eventually romp home, extending their goal difference advantage over Chelsea to 14 in the process.