[Powderworks] Powderworks: Origin of the name
Craig Jacobson
cjake@pipeline.com
Wed, 04 Jun 2003 10:15:45 -0400
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The phrase "midnight oil" was coined long before Captain Cook sailed to
the bottom of the planet.
A little creative googling reveals the following. The actual web site
actually had a picture of our favorite band, though they were not
mentioned in the description.
We all know the meaning of midnight oil as something late in the
evening/night. However, what is the origin? The first reference I
can find is in 1635 (Frances Quarles):
We spend our midday sweat, our midnight oil;
We tire the night in thought, the day in toil
That is indeed the first recorded occurrence of the term. The phrase,
which we recognize today as burning the midnight oil, is simply a
reference to the days when light was provided by oil burning lamps. If
one was using a lamp - burning oil - at midnight, one was probably up
late doing something that needed to be finished by the next morning.
Midnight oil was being "consumed" in 1744, and a few years later we find
it being burned.
alistair king wrote:
> Gday everyone
>
> I heard that the name 'Midnight Oil' came from a late night TV chat
> show (in the 70s I assume) by the same name. They apparently changed
> from the name FARM.
> Anyone know anything different?
> Al
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Hotmail now available on Australian mobile phones. Click here for
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The phrase "midnight oil" was coined long before Captain Cook sailed to the
bottom of the planet.<br>
<br>
A little creative googling reveals the following. The actual web site actually
had a picture of our favorite band, though they were not mentioned in the
description.<br>
<blockquote>
<p><font color="#354a2f" face="Comic Sans MS">We all know the meaning of
<i>midnight oil</i> as something late in the evening/night. However,
what is the origin? The first reference I can find is in 1635 (Frances
Quarles):</font></p>
<blockquote>
<p><font face="Comic Sans MS" color="#000000">We spend our midday sweat,
our midnight oil; <br>
We tire the night in thought, the day in toil</font></p>
</blockquote>
</blockquote>
<font face="Comic Sans MS">That is indeed the first recorded occurrence
of the term. The phrase, which we recognize today as <i>burning the
midnight oil</i>, is simply a reference to the days when light was provided
by oil burning lamps. If one was using a lamp - burning oil - at
midnight, one was probably up late doing something that needed to be
finished by the next morning. <i>Midnight oil</i> was being "consumed"
in 1744, and a few years later we find it being burned.</font><br>
<br>
alistair king wrote:<br>
<blockquote type="cite"
cite="midLaw9-F25VU1tYxMRQNf0007ac0a@hotmail.com">
<div style="">
<div>Gday everyone</div>
<div> </div>
<div>I heard that the name 'Midnight Oil' came from a late night TV chat
show (in the 70s I assume) by the same name. They apparently changed from
the name FARM.</div>
<div>Anyone know anything different?</div>
<div>Al </div>
</div>
<br clear="all">
<hr>Hotmail now available on Australian mobile phones. <a
href="http://g.msn.com/8HMAENAU/2752??PS="> Click here for more.</a> _______________________________________________
Powderworks mailing list <a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:Powderworks@cs.colorado.edu">Powderworks@cs.colorado.edu</a> <a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://www.cs.colorado.edu/mailman/listinfo/powderworks">http://www.cs.colorado.edu/mailman/listinfo/powderworks</a>
</blockquote>
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