English · Work & Business
burn the midnight oil
/bɜːn ðə ˈmɪd.naɪt ɔɪl/
[/bɜːn ðə ˈmɪd.naɪt ɔɪl/]
work late at night
Intermediatephrase
Definition
To work or study late into the night.
Example
She's been burning the midnight oil all week to finish her thesis before the submission deadline.
She's been burning the midnight oil all week to finish her thesis before the submission deadline.
Etymology
From the era of oil lamps; the phrase appears in Francis Quarles's 1635 work referencing late study.
How & Where It’s Used
Common for describing hard work late into the night.
Literary Heritage
Coined in Francis Quarles's 'Emblemes' (1635): 'We spend our mid-day sweat, our mid-night oil.'