burn the midnight oil Definition
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burn1
verb burned, burnt, burning
- tr & intr
1. To be on fire or set something on fire.
- Thesaurus: blaze, flame, oxidize, consume, incinerate, flash, flare, cremate, conflagrate, sear, brand, char, cauterize, fire; Antonym: extinguish, put out, quench.
2. To damage or injure, or be damaged or injured, by fire or heat.
- Thesaurus: scorch, char, sear, roast, toast, parch, singe, scald, wither.
tr & intr
4. To char or scorch, or become charred or scorched.
5. To make (a hole, etc) by or as if by fire or heat, etc.
- Example: Acid can burn holes in material
6. To be or feel hot.
tr & intr
7. To feel or make something feel a hot or stinging pain.
- Example: Vodka burns my throat
8. colloq
- To want to do it very much.
- Example: is burning to get his revenge
- Form: be burning to do something (usually)
9. To feel strong emotion.
- Example: was burning with shame
- Form: be burning with something (especially)
tr & intr
11. To kill or die by fire.
- Form: burn to death (now usually)
- Form: burn alive
- 1. An injury or mark caused by fire, heat, acid, friction, etc.
2. Pain felt in a muscle, experienced as a result of the build-up of lactic acid during demanding exercise.
3. An act of firing the engines of a space rocket so as to produce thrust.
4. A very fast ride eg on a motorcycle or speedboat.
- Example: went for a burn on the bike
- Form: burn-up (also)
- colloq
To do something which makes it impossible for one to return to one's former situation or way of life, etc; to destroy all chance of escape or retreat.
- To exhaust oneself by trying to do too much, usually by starting work very early in the morning and staying up late at night.
- colloq
To suffer, often financially, as a result of getting involved in or interfering with something foolish, dangerous, risky, etc.
- Said of money that one is very eager to spend: to be extremely difficult or tempting not to spend. See also money to burn under money.
- To work late into the night.
Phrasal Verb: burn down
- Said of a large structure such as a building: to be destroyed by fire or burnt to the ground.
- To destroy (a building, etc) by fire.
- To burn up completely and be reduced to nothing.Said of a rocket engine: to stop working when the fuel is used up.
- To exhaust them or oneself by too much work or exercise.
- To make it stop working from overuse or overheating.
- To be destroyed by fire, heat or acid, etc.To become very angry.Said of a fire, etc: to increase in activity; to blaze or flare up. See also burn-up.
- To make them very angry.
- Example: Her letter really burned me up
- To destroy it by fire, heat or acid, etc.Said of an engine: to use up fuel in large quantities.
oil
noun
- 1. Any greasy, viscous and usually flammable substance, liquid at room temperature (20°C) and insoluble in water but soluble in organic compounds, that is derived from animals, plants or mineral deposits, or manufactured artificially, and used as a fuel, lubricant or food.
- Thesaurus: grease, lubricant, fat, unction, fuel.
3a. oil paint;
- Form: oils (often)
4. colloq
- Oilskins; oilskin garments.
- Form: oils
5. slang
- News; information. Also as adj and in compounds.
- Example: oil pipeline
- Example: oil slick
- Example: oilfield
- 1. To apply oil to something; to lubricate or treat something with oil.
- Thesaurus: lubricate, grease, smear, coat, anoint.
2. To take oil aboard as fuel.
tr & intr
3. Said of butter, etc: to make or become oily, especially by heating or melting.
- See separate entries.
- To work or study late into the night.
- colloq
To bribe them.
- To do something in order to make things go more smoothly or successfully, etc.
- To soothe or calm a person or situation.
- To discover or reach a source of petroleum while drilling for it.
- colloq
To discover some source of wealth, usually rapid wealth; to become rich or successful through exploiting such a source.
