Oil Idiom 1 – Burning midnight oil
Definition: To work late into the night.
Example: Her finals week for medical school was coming up and she was burning the midnight oil to build a solid knowledge base heading into the exams.
Origin: Originally, burning the midnight oil had a very literal meaning. Back in the olden days when people were still highly dependent on oil for light during the night, burning the midnight oil literally meant burning oil way into the night to see what one is doing in the dark. It can also be used to refer to people using a candle to see in the dark.
Today, this phrase is used figuratively to refer to working on something way beyond one’s regular bed time. One of the earliest noted uses of this phrase was seen in The English Dictionary back in 1623. In the work “Emblemes” from 1635, Francis Quarles wrote: “Wee spend our mid-day sweat, or mid-night oyle;”
Oil Idiom 2 – Pour oil on troubled waters
Definition: An expression used suggest trying to calm a problematic situation.
Example: Their mother tried to pour oil on troubled waters because the inheritance her husband left behind caused a gap between their children.
Origin: Since the 14th century, the word “troubled” has been used to mean “disturbed” or “agitated” and in reference to physical elements, such as the air or water. Within ancient Greece, it was 
believed that oil had calming effects.
In 1762 Benjamin Franklin repeated an experiment which was first performed by Pliny the Elder. The experiment made use of oil on a pond, testing whether the oil was able to block strong winds from disturbing the the water. While scientifically, oil and water can never go together, oil’s ability to spread over the surface of water due to oil being the lighter substance allows it to “calm” the water. Hence, pouring oil on troubled waters has a calming effect on the ripples on its surface.
Oil Idiom 3 – Oil the wheels
Definition: To find a way to make things happen; to make things go smoothly.
Example: To make any relationship work, the people involved must find it in them to oil the wheels regularly.
Origin: This expression was coined in the mid-1600s. A metaphor often referring to the process of smoothing out a difficult professional or personal relationship, wheels and gears turn more smoothly when oiled. Therefore trying situations in life require an “oiling of the wheels” to help things progress in a much positive fashion. Such an act may take the form of extending a helping hand without being asked.
Accent Pros idioms series
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