Jayciedubb · 56-60, M
It's got a 24 hour tax deferment on it, so it burns a little hotter, and a little brighter, which make it a good choice for midnight burning. 🙄😐🤔
OogieBoogie · F
when the phrase was originally coined, it was expensive to burn oil. Especially good quality lamp oil.
Many housholds rationed it.
It was also dangerous with the accumulated fumes and flamabilty.
It had connotations of dedication, diligence, sacrifice and urgency.
The original term was akin to "to spend ones midday sweat, and midnight oil".
Many housholds rationed it.
It was also dangerous with the accumulated fumes and flamabilty.
It had connotations of dedication, diligence, sacrifice and urgency.
The original term was akin to "to spend ones midday sweat, and midnight oil".
MartinTheFirst · 26-30, M
it's a story from the bible told by Jesus, they had oil lamps and were waiting for someone, but if their oil lamps went out too early they wouldn't find what they were searching for.
brewster12345 · 61-69, MVIP
The idiom dates back to at least the 1600s and comes from the practice of using oil lamps after dark. If someone was working late into the night, they would quite literally be burning oil at midnight.