candle

candle

can‧dle S3 /ˈkændl/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
[Date: 600-700; Language: Latin; Origin: candela, from candere; ⇨ ↑candid]
1. a stick of ↑wax with a string through the middle, which you burn to give light
2. can’t hold a candle to somebody/something informal if something or someone cannot hold a candle to something or someone else, they are not as good as the other thing or person:
No other singer can hold a candle to her.
⇨ burn the candle at both ends at ↑burn¹(19)
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COLLOCATIONS
■ verbs
▪ light a candle She lit a candle in the church.
▪ blow out a candle Can you blow out all the candles on your birthday cake?
▪ a candle burns (=is giving out light) The house was dark except for one candle burning in a window.
▪ a candle flickers (=the flame moves in an unsteady way) As the door opened, the candles flickered unsteadily.
▪ a candle goes out A sudden draught made the candles go out.
■ adjectives
▪ a lighted candle A procession moved through the village carrying lighted candles.
▪ a flickering candle (=with the flame moving unsteadily) The church was full of flickering white candles.
■ candle + NOUN
▪ a candle flame The candle flame flickered.
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THESAURUS
▪ light something that produces light, especially electric light, to help you to see: She switched the kitchen light on. | The lights in the house were all off.
▪ lamp an object that produces light by using electricity, oil, or gas - often used in names of lights: a bedside lamp | a street lamp | a desk lamp | a table lamp | an old oil lamp | a paraffin lamp
▪ lantern a lamp that you can carry, consisting of a metal container with glass sides that surrounds a flame or light: The miners used lanterns which were lit by candles.
▪ torch British English, flashlight American English a small electric lamp that you carry in your hand: We shone our torches around the cavern.
▪ candle a stick of wax with a string through the middle, which you burn to give light: The restaurant was lit by candles.
▪ bulb the glass part of an electric light, that the light shines from: a 100 watt bulb | an energy-saving light bulb