To burn the midnight oil

Context #1: Ted and Wilma just finished an exam...

Ted: How was the exam?
Wilma: I think I did well, but I’m so tired, I don’t know for sure.
Ted: Really? What happened?
Wilma: I was getting ready for bed when I discovered that I didn’t read three chapters of the text book.
Ted: Oh no!
Wilma: Yes, chapters 16, 17, and 18! So I had to burn the midnight oil to catch up. I stayed up until 5am studying those chapters.
Ted: Uh, Wilma, I guess you were too tired to realize…those last chapters weren’t on the exam.

Context #2: Rhonda and William live in a dormitory.

Rhonda: I’m going to bed now. Goodnight, William.
William: Goodnight, Rhonda. Hey, where is your roommate?
Rhonda: Wendy? Oh, she’s at the library burning the midnight oil.
William: Wow! You mean she hasn’t finished her essay yet? That’s unfortunate.
Rhonda: Not for me! I’ll sleep well; I won’t have to hear her snore all night!

Meaning: To work all night. We use this idiom to emphasize the idea that a person is working hard after his or her normal work hours. In the old days (before electricity), people burned oil in lamps in order to light a room at night. If someone is “burning the midnight oil,” it means they need light in order to finish their work at night.

http://languagesystems.edu/ 

To be glad to see the back of

Context #1: Kim and Derek are at work sitting in the break room. They begin talking about their co-worker, Fred.

Kim: You know - Fred was late again today.
Derek: I’m not surprised. I had to finish his last project because he wasn’t here to do it.
Kim: Does the boss know?
Derek: The boss knows now. He is pretty angry. I heard the boss tell Fred the next time he’s late or his work isn’t finished, he’ll be fired.
Kim: That’s fine by me. Fred’s lazy. Actually, I’ll be glad to see the back of him!

Context #2 : Joe is writing a post card about his experience at summer camp…

Dear Mom and Dad,

I can’t believe I’m still here. Every hour seems to take a week! I really miss you and I miss home. It’s cold here. The other kids are really mean. I can’t sleep in this uncomfortable bed. Also, the activities are boring. I’ll be glad to see the back of this place!

Love, Joe.

Meaning: We use this idiom when a person or thing is part of our life and is not liked. A similar idiom is “to be glad to get rid of.” When you “see the back of” a person, it means that person is leaving. In other words, if you are “glad” to “see the back of” someone, you are happy that person is leaving.

http://languagesystems.edu/