candle
[ kan-dl ]
/ ˈkæn dl /
noun
a long, usually slender piece of tallow or wax with an embedded wick that is burned to give light.
something resembling a candle in appearance or use.
Optics.
- (formerly) candela.
- Also called international candle. a unit of luminous intensity, defined as a fraction of the luminous intensity of a group of 45 carbon-filament lamps: used from 1909 to 1948 as the international standard.
- a unit of luminous intensity, equal to the luminous intensity of a wax candle of standard specifications: used prior to 1909 as the international standard. Abbreviation: c., c
verb (used with object), can·dled, can·dling.
to examine (eggs) for freshness, fertility, etc., by holding them up to a bright light.
to hold (a bottle of wine) in front of a lighted candle while decanting so as to detect sediment and prevent its being poured off with the wine.
Idioms for candle
Origin of candle
before 900; Middle English, Old English
candel < Latin
candēla, equivalent to
cand(ēre) to shine +
-ēla deverbal noun suffix; see
candid
OTHER WORDS FROM candle
can·dler, noun un·can·dled, adjectiveWords nearby candle
candide,
candidemia,
candidiasis,
candied,
candiot,
candle,
candle-meter,
candle-tree,
candlebeam,
candleberry,
candlefish
Example sentences from the Web for candle
British Dictionary definitions for candle
candle
/ (ˈkændəl) /
noun
a cylindrical piece of wax, tallow, or other fatty substance surrounding a wick, which is burned to produce light
physics
- See international candle
- another name for candela
burn the candle at both ends
to exhaust oneself, esp by being up late and getting up early to work
not hold a candle to informal
to be inferior or contemptible in comparison with
your dog doesn't hold a candle to mine
not worth the candle informal
not worth the price or trouble entailed (esp in the phrase the game's not worth the candle)
verb
(tr)
to examine (eggs) for freshness or the likelihood of being hatched by viewing them against a bright light
Derived forms of candle
candler, nounWord Origin for candle
Old English
candel, from Latin
candēla, from
candēre to be white, glitter
Medical definitions for candle
candle
[ kăn′dl ]
n.
candela
Idioms and Phrases with candle
candle
see burn the candle at both ends; game is not worth the candle; hold a candle to.