candle

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can·dle

(kăn′dl)

a. A solid, usually cylindrical mass of tallow, wax, or other fatty substance with an axially embedded wick that is burned to provide light.

b. Something resembling this object in shape or use.

2. Physics An obsolete unit of luminous intensity, originally defined in terms of a wax candle with standard composition, later in terms of a carbon-filament lamp, and superseded by the candela. Also called international candle.

tr.v. can·dled, can·dling, can·dles

To examine (an egg) for freshness or fertility by holding it before a bright light.

[Middle English candel, from Old English and from Anglo-Norman candele, both from Latin candēla, from candēre, to shine; see kand- in Indo-European roots.]

can′dler n.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

candle

(ˈkændəl)

1. a cylindrical piece of wax, tallow, or other fatty substance surrounding a wick, which is burned to produce light

2. (Units) physics

a. See international candle

b. another name for candela

3. burn the candle at both ends to exhaust oneself, esp by being up late and getting up early to work

4. not hold a candle to informal to be inferior or contemptible in comparison with: your dog doesn't hold a candle to mine.

5. not worth the candle informal not worth the price or trouble entailed (esp in the phrase the game's not worth the candle)

(Agriculture) (tr) to examine (eggs) for freshness or the likelihood of being hatched by viewing them against a bright light

[Old English candel, from Latin candēla, from candēre to be white, glitter]

ˈcandler n

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

can•dle

(ˈkæn dl)

n., v. -dled, -dling. n.

1. a long, usu. slender piece of tallow or wax with an embedded wick that is burned to give light.

2. something resembling this in appearance or use.

3. any of various former international standard units of luminous intensity. Abbr.: c., c Compare candela.

v.t.

4. to examine (eggs) for freshness, fertility, etc., by holding them up to a bright light.

Idioms:

1. hold a candle to, to compare favorably with (usu. in the negative).

2. worth the candle, worth the effort involved (usu. in the negative).

[before 900; Middle English, Old English candel < Latin candēla, derivative of candēre to shine]

can′dler, n.

candle

Past participle: candled
Gerund: candling

Imperative
candle
candle

Present
I candle
you candle
he/she/it candles
we candle
you candle
they candle

Preterite
I candled
you candled
he/she/it candled
we candled
you candled
they candled

Present Continuous
I am candling
you are candling
he/she/it is candling
we are candling
you are candling
they are candling

Present Perfect
I have candled
you have candled
he/she/it has candled
we have candled
you have candled
they have candled

Past Continuous
I was candling
you were candling
he/she/it was candling
we were candling
you were candling
they were candling

Past Perfect
I had candled
you had candled
he/she/it had candled
we had candled
you had candled
they had candled

Future
I will candle
you will candle
he/she/it will candle
we will candle
you will candle
they will candle

Future Perfect
I will have candled
you will have candled
he/she/it will have candled
we will have candled
you will have candled
they will have candled

Future Continuous
I will be candling
you will be candling
he/she/it will be candling
we will be candling
you will be candling
they will be candling

Present Perfect Continuous
I have been candling
you have been candling
he/she/it has been candling
we have been candling
you have been candling
they have been candling

Future Perfect Continuous
I will have been candling
you will have been candling
he/she/it will have been candling
we will have been candling
you will have been candling
they will have been candling

Past Perfect Continuous
I had been candling
you had been candling
he/she/it had been candling
we had been candling
you had been candling
they had been candling

Conditional
I would candle
you would candle
he/she/it would candle
we would candle
you would candle
they would candle

Past Conditional
I would have candled
you would have candled
he/she/it would have candled
we would have candled
you would have candled
they would have candled

Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Switch to new thesaurus

Noun	1.	candle - stick of wax with a wick in the middle wax light, taper candlewick - the wick of a candle chandlery - candles and other commodities sold by a chandler dip - a candle that is made by repeated dipping in a pool of wax or tallow lamp - an artificial source of visible illumination rush candle, rushlight - a tallow candle with a rush stem as the wick vigil candle, vigil light - a candle lighted by a worshiper in a church wick, taper - a loosely woven cord (in a candle or oil lamp) that draws fuel by capillary action up into the flame
	2.	candle - the basic unit of luminous intensity adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites; equal to 1/60 of the luminous intensity per square centimeter of a black body radiating at the temperature of 2,046 degrees Kelvin candela, standard candle, cd candlepower unit, luminous intensity unit - a measure of luminous intensity
Verb	1.	candle - examine eggs for freshness by holding them against a light examine, see - observe, check out, and look over carefully or inspect; "The customs agent examined the baggage"; "I must see your passport before you can enter the country"

Translations

شَمْعَةشَمْعَه

свещ

svíčkasvíce

lysstearinlys

Kerze

κερί αγιοκέρι

vela bujía

شمع

kynttilä

bougie chandelle

svijeća

gyertya

lilin

kerti

candela sperperare le energie

ろうそく

양초

candela

žvakėžvakės/žvakių šviesažvakidė

svece

kaars

stearinlys levende lys lys

świeca

vela

свеча свечка

sveča

stearinljus

เทียน

mum

nến

蜡烛

candle

[ˈkændl]

A. N → vela f, candela f; (in church) → cirio m
to hold a candle to sb you can't hold a candle to him → no le llegas ni a la suela de los zapatos
it's not worth the candle → no merece or vale la pena
see also burn ¹ B1

B. CPD candle end N → cabo m de vela
candle grease N → cera f derretida
candle holder N = candlestick

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

candle

[ˈkænd^əl] n (wax) → bougie f; (tallow) → chandelle f; (in church) → cierge m
to burn the candle at both ends → brûler la chandelle par les deux bouts
he can't hold a candle to you → il ne vous arrive pas à la cheville
the game is not worth the candle (old-fashioned) → le jeu n'en vaut pas la chandellecandle holder candle-holder n → porte-bougie m

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

candle

n → Kerze f; to burn the candle at both ends → mit seinen Kräften Raubbau treiben; he can’t hold a candle to his brother → er kann seinem Bruder nicht das Wasser reichen; the game is not worth the candle → das ist nicht der Mühe wert

candle

in cpds → Kerzen-;

candle end

n → Kerzenstummel m

candle grease

n → Kerzenwachs nt

candlelight

n → Kerzenlicht nt, → Kerzenschein m; by candle → im Kerzenschein, bei Kerzenlicht; a candle dinner → ein Candlelight-Dinner nt, → ein Essen nt → bei Kerzenlicht

candle

candlepower

n (old Elec) → Lichtstärke f

candlestick

n → Kerzenhalter m

candlewick

→ Kerzendocht m

(Tex) → Frottierplüschmuster nt

attr bedspread → im Frottierplüschmuster

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

candle

[ˈkændl] n → candela; (in church) → cero

candle

(ˈkӕndl) noun

a moulded piece of wax with a wick in the centre, for giving light. We had to use candles when the electric lights went out.

ˈcandle-light noun

the light from a candle. We had dinner by candle-light.

ˈcandlestick noun

a holder for a candle.

candle

→ شَمْعَة svíčka stearinlys Kerze κερί vela kynttilä bougie svijeća candela ろうそく 양초 kaars stearinlys świeca vela свеча stearinljus เทียน mum nến 蜡烛

References in classic literature ?

Suddenly a gust of wind beat violently against the casement of the window, from which the double frame had been removed (by order of the prince, one window frame was removed in each room as soon as the larks returned), and, forcing open a loosely closed latch, set the damask curtain flapping and blew out the candle with its chill, snowy draft.

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He soon spied them out, and putting down the candle, deliberately proceeded to cast them into the fire: palette, paints, bladders, pencils, brushes, varnish: I saw them all consumed: the palette-knives snapped in two, the oil and turpentine sent hissing and roaring up the chimney.

View in context

Groping his way toward the far end of the chamber, he sought the candle which Tarzan had left stuck in its own wax upon the protruding end of an ingot.

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Inside it was dark, but the man who had unlocked the door produced a candle and matches and made a light.

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The children fastened their eyes upon their bit of candle and watched it melt slowly and pitilessly away; saw the half inch of wick stand alone at last; saw the feeble flame rise and fall, climb the thin column of smoke, linger at its top a moment, and then -- the horror of utter darkness reigned!

View in context

The room was dark, but having matches I found a candle and lit it.

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He found a little table set for dinner and lighted by a candle stuck in a glass bottle; and near the table sat a little old man, white as the snow, eating live fish.

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It was his custom to bid his servant go to bed at his own time unless he had orders to the contrary, and to leave a candle on the common stair.

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From these, in a narrow and a dirty street devoted to such callings, Mr Wegg selects one dark shop-window with a tallow candle dimly burning in it, surrounded by a muddle of objects vaguely resembling pieces of leather and dry stick, but among which nothing is resolvable into anything distinct, save the candle itself in its old tin candlestick, and two preserved frogs fighting a small- sword duel.

View in context

He saw that a sigh was held back in her throat, and the little hand in the long glove shook as it held the candle.

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In my desk you will find a crimson candle, which has been blessed by the High Priest and has a peculiar mystical significance.

View in context

Finally I went out, taking a candle; I crossed the passage and listened a minute at Miles's door.