burn the midnight oil, to
burn the midnight oil, to - To stay up late, studying or working. This expression, which may well be as old as the first oil lamp, appeared in English in the mid-seventeenth century. It has been traced to a poem by Francis Quarles (“Emblems,” 1635): “Wee spend our midday sweat, or midnight oyle; wee tyre the night in thought; the day in toyle.” A more recent example is found in David Baldacci’s Hour Game (2004): “You don’t want to burn the midnight oil too much; it’s bad for your complexion.”
Related Terms & Synonyms
- Pull an All-Nighter: Staying up all night to complete a task.
- Night Owl: Someone who stays up late.
- Burn the Candle at Both Ends: To overwork oneself, especially by staying up late and getting up early.
- Late-Night Grind: Working or studying late into the night.
Antonyms
- Early Bird: Someone who wakes up early.
- Hit the Hay: To go to bed early.
- Call it a Day: To stop working for the day.
Humorous Quotes
- “Burning the midnight oil is a great way to illuminate… how little you know by morning.” - Chuck Laughlight
- “The only things I enjoyed burning at midnight were marshmallows by a campfire. But college had other plans.” - S. Nooze Johnson
Proverbs and Wisdom
- Proverb: “Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.”
- Meaning: Encourages one to go to bed early and wake up early.
- Proverb: “The darkest hour is just before dawn.”
- Meaning: Often, things seem the worst right before they improve. Keep going.
Recommended Reading
- Books:
- The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern - A fascinating tale where dreams meet nocturnal wonders.
- Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk - For the insomniac in you looking for meaning by burning the midnights away.
- Poetry:
- Do Not Go Gentle into that Good Night by Dylan Thomas - For the rebel burners of the midnight oil.
- Movies:
- Dead Poets Society - For a burst of inspiration post-midnight.
- Songs:
- Working Late by The Roots - Consider it an anthem.
- Up All Night by Owl City - Because the owl knows the night too well.
Farewell Thought
“As you journey into the realms of sleepless nights and lamp-lit wonders, may you remember that every drop of oil burned illuminates your path to wisdom and success. Keep burning, but also, don’t forget to rest. Even the moon needs its daylight.”
### Which phrase means to stay up late working?
- [x] Burning the midnight oil
- [ ] Fishing in the twilight zone
- [ ] Boiling the night tea
- [ ] Swimming by moonlight
> **Explanation:** "Burning the midnight oil" specifically refers to staying up late to work or study.
### What is another term for someone who stays up late?
- [ ] Early Bird
- [x] Night Owl
- [ ] Morning Glory
- [ ] Afternoon Tea-lover
> **Explanation:** A "Night Owl" is a person who is active or awake late into the night.
### True or False: 'Burning the candle at both ends' means the same as 'burning the midnight oil.'
- [x] True
- [ ] False
> **Explanation:** Both expressions convey the idea of overworking oneself, often involving staying up late.
### What book has a storyline revolving around secrets revealed by burning the midnight oil?
- [x] Hour Game by David Baldacci
- [ ] Twilight by Stephenie Meyer
- [ ] Breakfast at Tiffany's by Truman Capote
- [ ] The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
> **Explanation:** "Hour Game" by David Baldacci features characters burning the midnight oil to uncover truths and solve mysteries.
