burn the midnight oil
Say it: burn the MID-night oil /ˌbɜːn ðə ˌmɪdnaɪt ˈɔɪl/ · idiom
What “burn the midnight oil” means
Work or study late into the night.
More precisely: To work or study late into the night.
When to use it
In everyday conversation, for late-night work or study, often before a deadline. It sounds slightly colourful and old-fashioned.
Memory trick
Before electric lights, people working late needed oil lamps to see.
Similar words
work late, pull an all-nighter
Where it comes from
From the days when people worked at night by oil lamp.
Quick check
Your exam is tomorrow, and you're still revising long after everyone else has gone to bed. Which phrase describes your evening?
burn the candle at both ends or burn the midnight oil?
Show the answer
burn the midnight oil
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