burns the midnight oil
Studies all night
To burn the midnight oil is to work or study late into the night, from the era when artificial light required lamp oil.
The phrase suggests sustained effort past normal hours: She's been burning the midnight oil to finish her thesis.
Often implies dedication or deadline pressure rather than mere sleeplessness.
- industriousnessHabitual hard work
- hard workSustained strenuous effort
- diligenceCareful, persistent effort
- work ethicDedication to doing one's job
- nose to the grindstoneDevoted to hard work
overtime · commitment · resolve · labor · long hours · all-nighter · effort · deadline · crunch time · determination · cramming · final exam · sacrifice · hours · late night · nocturnal · night owl · persistence
burns the midnight oilearly riser
Person who wakes at dawn
early bird · up with the lark · morning person · lark · bright-eyed and bushy-tailed
burns the midnight oilslacks off
Reduces effort deliberately
coasts · takes it easy · loafs · idles · goofs off