burned the midnight oil
Studied all night
To burn the midnight oil is to work or study late into the night, past normal sleeping hours.
The phrase evokes an era when oil lamps provided light after dark: She burned the midnight oil finishing her thesis.
It implies sustained effort and dedication, often with a note of exhaustion.
- all-nighterSleepless work stretch
- study sessionScheduled time for learning
- diligenceCareful, persistent effort
- work ethicDedication to doing one's job
- deskFurniture for writing
fatigue · candle · lamp · perseverance · nocturnal · overtime · deadline crunch · research · burnout · long hours · coffee · red eye · studying · stamina · reading · endurance · clock · weariness
burned the midnight oilslacked off
Reduced one's effort
coasted · loafed · lazed about · idled · goofed off
burned the midnight oilprocrastinated
Postponed action unnecessarily
put it off · dragged one's feet · kicked the can down the road · dillydallied · put on the back burner
burned, burnt, burning, burner, midnight, midnights, night, nights, nightly