Burning the candle at both ends origin

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary. All day you write, is it not so? And at night you come home to write still more? Ach, Kindchen!

To burn the candle at both ends has changed meaning since its inception in the 18th century. It originally described senseless waste. Candles were the main source of artificial lighting. Not only were they widely sought after, they were expensive. Burning a candle from both ends would use it up twice as quickly without any benefit. With the changes wrought by the age of electricity, the phrase changed as well. The candle became more of a figurative object, representing the hours of the day.

Burning the candle at both ends origin

Our current understanding of this phrase is of a life lived frenetically and unsustainably - working or enjoying oneself late into the night only to begin again early the next day. It didn't having that meaning when it was first coined in the 18th century. The 'both ends' then weren't the ends of the day but were a literal reference to the two ends of a candle. Candles were useful and valuable see not worth the candle and the notion of waste suggested by lighting both ends at once implied reckless waste. This thought may well have been accentuated by the fact that candles may only be lit at both ends when held horizontally, which would cause them to drip and burn out quickly. Nathan Bailey defined the term in his Dictionarium Britannicum , , by which time the phrase had already been given a figurative interpretation and the 'both ends' were a husband and wife:. Said when Husband and Wife are both Spendthrifts. Like not worth the candle , the phrase derives from an earlier French version. By Gary Martin. Gary Martin is a writer and researcher on the origins of phrases and the creator of the Phrase Finder website. Over the past 26 years more than million of his pages have been downloaded by readers. He is one of the most popular and trusted sources of information on phrases and idioms. Burn the candle at both ends What's the meaning of the phrase 'Burn the candle at both ends'? To live at a hectic pace.

Burning a candle from both ends would use it up twice as quickly without any benefit. That is why she is burning the candle at both ends nowadays. You can't keep burning the candle at both ends!

Add to word list Add to word list. Work, working and the workplace. Translations of burn the candle at both ends in Chinese Traditional. See more. Need a translator?

Our current understanding of this phrase is of a life lived frenetically and unsustainably - working or enjoying oneself late into the night only to begin again early the next day. It didn't having that meaning when it was first coined in the 18th century. The 'both ends' then weren't the ends of the day but were a literal reference to the two ends of a candle. Candles were useful and valuable see not worth the candle and the notion of waste suggested by lighting both ends at once implied reckless waste. This thought may well have been accentuated by the fact that candles may only be lit at both ends when held horizontally, which would cause them to drip and burn out quickly.

Burning the candle at both ends origin

Oh, Denise is definitely burning the candle at both ends—she's been getting to the office early and staying very late to work on some big project. See also: both , burn , candle , end. Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. One end of the candle is work done in the daylight, and the other end is work done at night. No wonder Mary is ill. She has been burning the candle at both ends for a long time. You'll wear out if you keep burning the candle at both ends. Exhaust one's energies or resources by leading a hectic life. For example, Joseph's been burning the candle at both ends for weeks, working two jobs during the week and a third on weekends. This metaphor originated in France and was translated into English in Randle Cotgrave's Dictionary , where it referred to dissipating one's wealth.

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Translations Click on the arrows to change the translation direction. If you were burning the candle at both ends, you were being wasteful. Sign up now or Log in. Translator tool. Choose your language. My younger daughter is obsessed with becoming a painter. To finish this massive work, we must burn the candle at both ends. Dictionary Definitions Clear explanations of natural written and spoken English. Work, working and the workplace. Working and studying at the same time has led to me having to burn the candle at both ends. March 18,

Are you working day and night on a project? You could say you're 'burning the candle at both ends.

See more. All day you write, is it not so? Said when Husband and Wife are both Spendthrifts. Essential American English. English—Japanese Japanese—English. The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. Translator tool. With the changes wrought by the age of electricity, the phrase changed as well. Tell us about this example sentence:. Sign up for free and get access to exclusive content:. Word of the Day pull strings. English—Norwegian Norwegian—English. Free word lists and quizzes from Cambridge. Cancel Submit.