midnight

[ mid-nahyt ]
/ ˈmɪdˌnaɪt /

noun

the middle of the night; twelve o'clock at night.

adjective

of or relating to midnight.
resembling midnight, as in darkness.

Idioms for midnight

    burn the midnight oil, to study or work far into the night: After months of burning the midnight oil, he really needed a vacation.

Origin of midnight

before 900; Middle English; Old English midniht. See mid-, night

OTHER WORDS FROM midnight

mid·night·ly, adjective, adverb post·mid·night, adjective pre·mid·night, noun

Definition for burn the midnight oil (2 of 2)

Origin of burn

1
before 900; Middle English bernen, brennen, Old English beornan (intransitive), (cognate with Gothic, Old High German brinnan), and Old English bærnan (transitive), (cognate with Gothic brannjan, Old High German brennen)

synonym study for burn

16. Burn, scorch, sear, singe refer to the effect of fire or heat. To burn is to consume, wholly or in part, by contact with fire or excessive heat: to burn leaves. Scorch implies superficial or slight burning, resulting in a change of color or in injury to the texture because of shriveling or curling: to scorch a dress while ironing. Sear refers especially to the drying or hardening caused by heat: to sear a roast of meat. Singe applies especially to a superficial burning that takes off ends or projections: to singe hair; singe the pinfeathers from a chicken.

OTHER WORDS FROM burn

British Dictionary definitions for burn the midnight oil (1 of 3)

midnight
/ (ˈmɪdˌnaɪt) /

noun

  1. the middle of the night; 12 o'clock at night
  2. (as modifier)the midnight hour
burn the midnight oil to work or study late into the night

Derived forms of midnight

midnightly, adjective, adverb

British Dictionary definitions for burn the midnight oil (2 of 3)

burn 1
/ (bɜːn) /

verb burns, burning, burnt or burned

noun

Word Origin for burn

Old English beornan (intr), bærnan (tr); related to Old Norse brenna (tr or intr), Gothic brinnan (intr), Latin fervēre to boil, seethe

British Dictionary definitions for burn the midnight oil (3 of 3)

burn 2
/ (bɜːn, Scottish bʌrn) /

noun

Scot and Northern English a small stream; brook

Word Origin for burn

Old English burna; related to Old Norse brunnr spring, Old High German brunno, Lithuanian briáutis to burst forth

Medical definitions for burn the midnight oil

burn
[ bûrn ]

v.

n.

Scientific definitions for burn the midnight oil

burn
[ bûrn ]

Verb

To be on fire; undergo combustion. A substance burns if it is heated up enough to react chemically with oxygen.
To cause a burn to a bodily tissue.

Noun

Tissue injury caused by fire, heat, radiation (such as sun exposure), electricity, or a caustic chemical agent. Burns are classified according to the degree of tissue damage, which can include redness, blisters, skin edema and loss of sensation. Bacterial infection is a serious and sometimes fatal complication of severe burns.

Cultural definitions for burn the midnight oil

burn the midnight oil

To stay awake late at night to work or study: “Jill has been burning the midnight oil lately; I guess she has a big exam coming up.”

Idioms and Phrases with burn the midnight oil (1 of 2)

burn the midnight oil

Stay up late working or studying, as in The semester is almost over and we're all burning the midnight oil before exams. This expression alludes to the oil in oil lamps. [Early 1600s]

Idioms and Phrases with burn the midnight oil (2 of 2)

burn