candle

• POS: Noun, Verb (transitive)
• HYPHEN: can=dle

CIDE DICTIONARY

candle, n. [OE. candel, candel, AS, candel, fr. L. candela a (white) light made of wax or tallow, fr. candëre to be white. See Candid, and cf. Chandler, Cannel, Kindle.].

•  A slender, cylindrical body of tallow, containing a wick composed of loosely twisted linen of cotton threads, and used to furnish light.  [1913 Webster]

  " Candles are usually made by repeatedly dipping the wicks in the melted tallow, etc. (“dipped candles”), or by casting or running in a mold."  [1913 Webster]

  "How far that little candle throws his beams!
  So shines a good deed in a naughty world."  [1913 Webster]
•  That which gives light; a luminary.  [1913 Webster]

  "By these blessed candles of the night."  [1913 Webster]

Candle nut, the fruit of a euphorbiaceous shrub (Aleurites triloba), a native of some of the Pacific islands; -- socalled because, when dry, it will burn with a bright flame, and is used by the natives as a candle. The oil has many uses. -- Candle power (Photom.), illuminating power, as of a lamp, or gas flame, reckoned in terms of the light of a standard candle. -- Electric candle, A modification of the electric arc lamp, in which the carbon rods, instead of being placed end to end, are arranged side by side, and at a distance suitable for the formation of the arc at the tip; -- called also, from the name of the inventor, Jablockoff candle. -- Excommunication by inch of candle, a form of excommunication in which the offender is allowed time to repent only while a candle burns. -- Not worth the candle, not worth the cost or trouble. -- Rush candle, a candle made of the pith of certain rushes, peeled except on one side, and dipped in grease. -- Sale by inch of candle, an auction in which persons are allowed to bid only till a small piece of candle burns out. -- Standard candle (Photom.), a special form of candle employed as a standard in photometric measurements; usually, a candle of spermaceti so constructed as to burn at the rate of 120 grains, or 7.8 grams, per hour. -- To curse by bell, book and candle. See under Bell.

OXFORD DICTIONARY

candle, n. & v.
--n.
1 a cylinder or block of wax or tallow with a central wick, for giving light when burning.
2 = CANDLEPOWER.
--v.tr. test (an egg) for freshness by holding it to the light.

Idiom

cannot hold a candle to cannot be compared with; is much inferior to. not worth the candle not justifying the cost or trouble.

Derivative

candler n.

Etymology

OE candel f. L candela f. candere shine

THESAURUS

candle

ASA scale, Agnus Dei, British candle, Hefner candle, Holy Grail, Host, Pieta, Sanctus bell, Sangraal, Scheiner scale, ark, asperger, asperges, aspergillum, bambino, bayberry candle, beadroll, beads, bougie, bougie decimale, candle lumen, candle power, candle-foot, candle-hour, candle-meter, censer, chaplet, ciborium, corpse candle, cross, crucifix, cruet, decimal candle, dip, electric light bulb, eucharistial, exposure meter, farthing dip, fire, flame, flux, holy cross, holy water, holy-water sprinkler, icon, illuminant, illuminator, incandescent body, incensory, intensity, international candle, lamp, lamp-hour, lantern, light, light bulb, light meter, light quantum, light source, lumen, lumen meter, lumen-hour, lumeter, luminant, luminary, luminous flux, luminous intensity, luminous power, lux, match, matzo, menorah, mezuzah, mikvah, monstrance, moon, osculatory, ostensorium, paschal candle, pax, photon, phylacteries, prayer shawl, prayer wheel, pyx, quantum, relics, rood, rosary, rush candle, rushlight, sacramental, sacred relics, sacring bell, shofar, source of light, stars, sukkah, sun, tabernacle, tallith, tallow candle, tallow dip, taper, thurible, torch, unit of flux, unit of light, urceole, veronica, vigil light, votary candle, votive candle, wax candle

ROGET THESAURUS

candle

Fuel

N fuel, firing, combustible, coal, wallsend, anthracite, culm, coke, carbon, charcoal, bituminous coal, tar shale, turf, peat, firewood, bobbing, faggot, log, cinder, ingle, tinder, touchwood, sulphur, brimstone, incense, port-fire, fire-barrel, fireball, brand, amadou, bavin, blind coal, glance coal, German tinder, pyrotechnic sponge, punk, smudge, solid fueled rocket, wax, paraffin wax, paraffin oil, lamp oil, whale oil, oil, petroleum, gasoline, high octane gasoline, nitromethane, petrol, gas, juice, gasohol, alcohol, ethanol, methanol, fuel oil, kerosene, jet fuel, heating oil, number 2 oil, number 4 oil, naphtha, rocket fuel, high specific impulse fuel, liquid hydrogen, liquid oxygen, lox, natural gas, synthetic gas, synthesis gas, propane, butane, hydrogen, brand, torch, fuse, wick, spill, match, light, lucifer, congreve, vesuvian, vesta, fusee, locofoco, linstock, candle, oil, carbonaceous, combustible, inflammable, high octane, high specific impulse, heat of combustion.

Luminary

N luminary, light, flame, spark, scintilla, phosphorescence, fluorescence, sun, orb of day, Phoebus, Apollo, Aurora, star, orb, meteor, falling star, shooting star, blazing star, dog star, Sirius, canicula, Aldebaran, constellation, galaxy, zodiacal light, anthelion, day star, morning star, Lucifer, mock sun, parhelion, phosphor, phosphorus, sun dog, Venus, aurora, polar lights, northern lights, aurora borealis, southern lights, aurora australis, lightning, chain lightning, fork lightning, sheet lightning, summer lightning, ball lightning, kugelblitz, phosphorus, yellow phosphorus, scintillator, phosphor, firefly luminescence, ignis fatuus, Jack o'lantern, Friar's lantern, will-o'-the- wisp, firedrake, Fata Morgana, Saint Elmo's fire, glowworm, firefly, June bug, lightning bug, anglerfish, gas, gas light, lime light, lantern, lanthorn, dark lantern, bull's-eye, candle, bougie, taper, rushlight, oil, wick, burner, Argand, moderator, duplex, torch, flambeau, link, brand, gaselier, chandelier, electrolier, candelabrum, candelabra, girandole, sconce, luster, candlestick, lamp, light, incandescent lamp, tungsten bulb, light bulb, flashlight, torch, arc light, laser, maser neon bulb, neon sign, fluorescent lamp, filament, socket, contacts, filler gas, firework, fizgig, pyrotechnics, rocket, lighthouse, self-luminous, glowing, phosphoric, phosphorescent, fluorescent, incandescent, luminescent, chemiluminescent, radiant, blossomed the lovely stars, the forget-me-nots of the angels, the sentinel stars set their watch in the sky, the planets in their station list'ning stood, the Scriptures of the skies, that orbed continent, the fire that severs day from night.