Definition
To work late into the night or to stay up very late studying or working on something important.
Etymology
This phrase dates back to the era before electric lighting when people used oil lamps for illumination. To "burn the midnight oil" literally meant keeping an oil lamp burning past midnight to continue working or studying. The expression became popular in the 17th century and has persisted despite technological changes.
Kelly Says
Before electric lights, oil was expensive and lamp maintenance was tedious, making late-night work a real sacrifice. The phrase reminds us how precious and costly artificial light once was, and how dedicated someone had to be to literally burn through their oil supply for extra working hours.
Translations
AMአማርኛ
እሑት አብራክ
ihut abirak
ARالعربية
إحراق منتصف الليل
iḥrāq munṣaf al-layl
BNবাংলা
অর্ধরাত্রি পুড়ানো
ardharatri purano
CACatalà
cremar a mitjanit
cremar a mitjanit
CSČeština
pracovat do noci
pracovat do noci
DADansk
brænde midnat
brænde midnat
DEDeutsch
bis in die Nacht arbeiten
bis in di nacht arbeiten
ELΕλληνικά
καίω τη μεσάνυχτα
kaío ti mesánichta
ESEspañol
quemar la medianoche
kemar la medianoch
FAفارسی
سوزاندن نیمه شب
suzandane nime shab
FISuomi
polttaa keskiyön
polttaa keskiyön
FRFrançais
brûler la nuit
/bʁyle.ly.nɥi/
GUGU
અડધી રાત સળગાવવી
aḍhī rāt salaṅgāvavī
HAHA
wuta da yamma
wuta da yamma
HEעברית
לשרוף את חצות
lesharof et chatzot
HIहिन्दी
अर्धरात्रि जलाना
ardharatri jalaana
HUMagyar
éjjel-nappal dolgozni
éjjel-nappal dolgozni
IDBahasa Indonesia
membakar tengah malam
membakar tengah malam
IGIG
ịkpali Ọgwụ Ọwụwa Anyanwụ
ikpali ogwu owuwa anyanwu
ITItaliano
bruciare la mezzanotte
brutʃare la mezzanotte
KKKK
түнгі жалын
tüngi jalyın
KMKM
ដុតពាក់កណ្តាលរាត្រី
dot peak kandal rate
MRMR
अर्धरात्री जाळणे
ardharatri jalaṇe
MSBahasa Melayu
membakar tengah malam
membakar tengah malam
MYမြန်မာ
ညဉ့်ချိန်ကို မီးရှို့ခြင်း
nyaik chinko mi shote hkyin
NLNederlands
de nacht doorbrengen
de nacht doorbrengen
NONorsk
brenne midnatt
brenne midnatt
PAPA
ਅੱਧੀ ਰਾਤ ਸਾੜਨਾ
aḍhī rāt sāṛnā
PLPolski
pracować do późna
pracować do późna
PTPortuguês
queimar a meia-noite
keimar a meia-noite
RORomână
a arde la miezul noptii
a arde la miezul noptii
RUРусский
гореть в огне
goret v ogne
SVSvenska
bränna middag
bränna middag
SWKiswahili
kuchoma usiku
kuchoma usiku
TAதமிழ்
நள்ளிரவில் எரித்தல்
nalliravil erittal
TEతెలుగు
అర్ధరాత్రి మండించడం
ardharatri mandinchadam
THไทย
เผาเที่ยงคืน
phao thiangkuen
TLTL
sunduin ang hatinggabi
sunduin ang hatinggabi
TRTürkçe
gece yarısını yakmak
gece yarısını yakmak
UKУкраїнська
горіти в огні
horyty v ohni
URاردو
ادھی رات کو جلانا
adhi raat ko jalna
VITiếng Việt
đốt nửa đêm
đốt nửa đêm
YOYO
Gbe Ọwọ́ Ọjọ́
gbe owo ojo
ZUZU
futha emini
futha emini