burn daylight

Originally a reference to burning candles during the day.

burn daylight (third-person singular simple present burns daylight, present participle burning daylight, simple past and past participle burned daylight or burnt daylight)

1. To use artificial light during the daytime when one could simply use the sunlight.
   • 1819, Sir Walter Scott, Ivanhoe, page 364:

     O, Madam, no candles yet, I beseech you ; don't let us burn daylight.

   • 1835, Charles Lamb, Elia, page 71:

     It beginning to grow a little duskish, Candlemas lustily bawled out for lights, which was opposed by all the Days, who protested against burning daylight.

   • 1879, George MacDonald, The Marquis of Lossie:

     The place was but scantily lighted, for the community at present could ill afford to burn daylight.

   • 2013, A. Roger Ekirch, At Day's Close: A History of Nighttime:

     High on the list of iniquities was “burning daylight,” resorting to artificial light unnecessarily during the day.

2. (idiomatic) To waste time.
   • 1595, William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet:

     Mercutio. Come, we burn daylight, ho! Romeo. Nay, that's not so. Mercutio. I mean, sir, in delay. We waste our lights in vain, like lamps by day.

   • 2007, Tom Thunderhorse, Charlie Goodbear, page 47:

     Brad calls out, “Let's not burn daylight when there's work to be done!”

   • 2010, Terry C. Johnston, Crack in the Sky: A Novel, page 267:

     Said he knows how Jack hates to burn daylight—so he'll be here afore you pull out.

   • 2012, Douglas MacKinnon, Vengeance Is Mine:

     Now, let's head out, ma'am. We're burning daylight,”

   • 2012, Cheryl Kimball, Start Your Own Self Publishing Business:

     You will find that the time goes quickly, so don't burn daylight—get marketing!

   • 2012, Patrick McGlade, Six Miles Per Hour, page 191:

     Without anything to look forward to that night, I settled into a very slow pace just trying to burn daylight.