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Idioms & Expressions
Burning the midnight oil
Describing staying up late to work on something
Literal Meaning
The use of oil as fuel for a lamp, particularly at late hours
Actual Meaning
Working or studying late into the night
Examples in Context

Student: 'I've been burning the midnight oil studying for exams.'

Helpful Tips
  • 1Implies hard work and dedication
  • 2Historical reference to oil lamps
  • 3Often about deadlines
Phrase Thesaurus
Similar words and synonyms for this phrase
working late
staying up late
night studying
late-night work
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