Idioms & Slang

Burn the midnight oil

bɜːrn ðə ˈmɪdnaɪt ɔɪl

idiom

What does Burn the midnight oil mean?

To work late into the night.

Example sentence

"We burned the midnight oil to finish the release."

American usage tip

From working by oil lamps.

Related Idioms & Slang words

Better late than never
Doing it late beats not doing it.
Word of mouth
Information spread by people talking.
Cut to the chase
To get to the point.
Hit the road
To leave or start a journey.
Rain on someone's parade
To ruin someone's excitement.
Up in the air
Undecided or uncertain.
Get the hang of it
To learn how to do something.
Throw in the towel
To give up.

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