burning the midnight oil

To burn the midnight oil implies working overtime or working over normal capacity.

"Looks like we're going to have to pull an all-nighter today. We're going to be burning the midnight oil."

by Rick 'Wild Thing' Vaughn April 25, 2006

burning the midnight oil

To do hard drugs(cocaine, heroin meth, etc)

Dustin burning the midnight oil.

by ElectricBananaMan June 19, 2011

burning the midnight oil

Make coffee to stay awake

Boil some water, I'll be burning the midnight oil and I take my coffee black.

by A gumpy Gen-X January 31, 2016

Burning the green midnight oil

To stay up smoking the marijuana rather than sleeping. Usually followed by an attack of the munchies, resulting in a loss of snack food.

"I'm sorry i fell asleep in your class, Professor, but I was up all night burning the green midnight oil."

by xcaptain7howdyx January 25, 2010