Asked in: SSC Steno 2026 T-1
burning the midnight oil in SSC previous-year questions
- SSC Steno 2026 T-1 Idioms & Phrases
In the following question, four alternatives are given for the Idiom/Phrase underlined in the sentence. Choose the option that best expresses its meaning.
The manager was burning the midnight oil to finish the presentation before the board meeting.Answer & explanation
Answer: A) Working late into the night
Meaning: burn the midnight oil = to work or study late into the night *(देर रात तक काम करना, रात-रात भर जागकर मेहनत करना)*.
A manager racing to finish a presentation before a board meeting is doing exactly that — working late into the night *(देर रात तक काम करना)*.
Origin.
Before electric light, anyone working after dark burnt lamp oil at midnight; the phrase dates from the 1600s (Francis Quarles, 1635).
Why the others are wrong.
• Complaining about work *(काम की शिकायत करना)* — the idiom is *to grumble* or *to gripe*; nothing in the sentence shows displeasure.
• Ignoring responsibilities *(ज़िम्मेदारियों की अनदेखी करना)* — that is *to shirk* or *to pass the buck*; the manager is doing the o
burning the midnight oil – questions
Has burning the midnight oil been asked in SSC exams?
Yes – burning the midnight oil has been asked in SSC exams: SSC Steno 2026 T-1.