candle Idiom, Proverb

burn the candle at both ends

work or play too hard without enough rest He has been burning the candle at both ends with his work and his studies. That is why he became sick.

can't hold a candle

(See hold a candle)

hold a candle

do as well, compare with, measure up The Buick is nice, but it can't hold a candle to the Cadillac.

hold a candle to

be in the same class or level with (used with a negative usually), can be compared with As far as good service goes that restaurant can

can't hold a candle to

Idiom(s): can't hold a candle to sb

Theme: SIMILARITY - LACKING

not [to be] equal to someone; unable to measure up to someone. (Also with cannot.)
• Mary can't hold a candle to Ann when it comes to auto racing.
• As for singing, John can't hold a candle to Jane.

not hold a candle to

Idiom(s): not hold a stick to someone or something AND not hold a candle to someone or something

Theme: COMPARISON

not to be nearly as good as someone or something. (Informal.)
• Sally is much faster than Bob. Bob doesn't hold a stick to Sally.
• This TV. doesn't hold a candle to that one. That one is much better.

Cake's not worth the candle

If someone says that the cake's not worth the candle, they mean that the result will not be worth the effort put in to achieve it.

burn the candle at both ends|both ends|burn|candle

v. phr. To work or play too hard without enough rest; get too tired. He worked hard every day as a lawyer and went to parties and dances every night; he was burning the candle at both ends.

candle

BURN THE CANDLE AT BOTH ENDS, GAME IS NOT WORTH THE CANDLE, HOLD A CANDLE.

game is not worth the candle|candle|game|not worth

literary What is being done is not worth the trouble or cost; the gain is not worth the effort. I don't want to walk so far on such a hot day. The game is not worth the candle.

hold a candle to|candle|hold|hold a stick to

v. phr. To be fit to be compared with; be in the same class with.

A trite phrase used in negative, interrogative, and conditional sentences. Henry thought that no modern ball club could hold a candle to those of 50 years ago.

game is not worth the candle, the

game is not worth the candle, the
The returns from an activity or enterprise do not warrant the time, money or effort required. For example, The office he is running for is so unimportant that the game's not worth the candle. This expression, which began as a translation of a term used by the French essayist Michel de Montaigne in 1580, alludes to gambling by candlelight, which involved the expense of illumination. If the winnings were not sufficient, they did not warrant the expense. Used figuratively, it was a proverb within a century.

hold a candle to, not

hold a candle to, not
Also, not fit to or cannot hold a candle to. Be inferior to someone or something, as in This hotel can't hold a candle to the Palace, or This new friend of his is not fit to hold a candle to his former buddies. This expression was already a proverb in John Heywood's collection of 1546 and alludes to holding a candle to provide light for someone, at that time considered a menial chore.

More Idioms/Phrases

hive hob hobby hock hog hold hold a candle to, not hold a gun to someone's head hold at bay