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Burn the midnight oil

Burn the midnight oil

Meaning

To work late into the night.

Examples

Sorry, I can’t come to the pub. This report’s due at 9am and I’ll need to burn the midnight oil if I am going to get it finished.

Where did it originate?

Britain, 17th century.

Where is it used?

Worldwide.

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About the Author

Gary Martin is a writer and researcher on the origins of phrases and the creator of the Phrase Finder website. Over the past 26 years more than 700 million of his pages have been downloaded by readers. He is one of the most popular and trusted sources of information on phrases and idioms.

Gary Martin

Writer and researcher on the origins of phrases and the creator of the Phrase Finder website. Over the past 26 years more than 700 million of his pages have been downloaded by readers. He is one of the most popular and trusted sources of information on phrases and idioms.
Burn the midnight oil

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