verb phrase🎓 English idiom
burn the midnight oil
to work late into the night
What it means
To work or study late into the night, often for an extended period. It conveys staying up well past normal hours to finish something important.
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Examples
- She burned the midnight oil to finish the report before Monday.
- We've been burning the midnight oil all week to meet the deadline.
- He burned the midnight oil studying for his medical exams.
- Don't burn the midnight oil too often, it's bad for your health.
Where it comes from
From the days before electric lighting, when working after dark meant burning oil in a lamp. The phrase dates to the 17th century, with an early version in Francis Quarles's writing in 1635.
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