Forms: 1–4 condel, -ell, 1–6 candel, -ell, 3 Orm. kanndell, 3–4 kandel, 4–5 condle, -il, kandil, 5 candelle, -ylle, -yle, -ulle, -ul, 5–6 -yl, 4– candle, (dial. cannel, -le, kennel.) [OE. candel, cǫndel fem., ad. L. candēla (or candella) ‘candle,’ f. candē-re to shine. One of the Latin words introduced at the English Conversion, and long associated chiefly with religious observances: even in the 15th c. three of the glossaries in Wright-Wülcker include ‘candle’ among the ‘names of things pertaining to the church’ (nomina pertinencia ecclesiæ). This sacred character of the word bears on the OE. poetic compounds Godes candel, heofoncandel, etc., in 2. The southern ME. pl. was condlen.
L. candēla came down in Romance as It., Pr., Sp. cande·la, Pg. cande·a, OF. chandeile, -doile, ONF. candeile, -doile. The actual F. chandelle (OF. chandele) represents a late L. variant candella (usual in med. L.), assimilated to diminutives in -ella. (Cf. querēla, querella.) The occasional late ME. spelling candelle may have been after French.]
I. 1. A source of artificial light, consisting of a usually cylindrical body of wax, tallow, spermaceti, or other solid fat, formed round a wick of cotton or flax, formerly also, of the pith of a rush.
Candles are distinguished according to the method of manufacture, as dipped or mold candles, by the material employed, or by some other peculiarity, as Paris candle, royal candle, etc. The word is also used without plural as a name of material, as in a piece of candle, an inch of candle.
a. 700. Erfurt Gloss., 382 (O. E. T.). Emunctoria, candelthuist.
a. 800. Corpus Gloss., 745. Emunctoria, candeltwist.
c. 1000. Voc., in Wr.-Wülcker, 154. Lampas, candeles leoma.
a. 1154. O. E. Chron., an. 1140. Me lihtede candles to æten bi.
1297. R. Glouc., 290. Þat chyld heo bete so stronge myd þe condlen long & towe.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Wif’s Prol., 334. A nigard that wol werne A man to light a candel at his lanterne.
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., VIII. xvi. (1495), 322. A glasse sette byfore a candle receuyth lighte of a candil.
1477. Earl Rivers (Caxton), Dictes, 69. Is like to hym that lighteth a candelle to another.
1579. in W. H. Turner, Select. Rec. Oxford, 402. A pound of the best cotton candells.
1613. Shaks., Hen. VIII., III. ii. 96. This Candle burnes not cleere, ’tis I must snuffe it, Then out it goes.
1662. Earl Orrery, State Lett. (1743), I. 117. To provide fire and candle.
1708. Brit. Apollo, No. 89. 2/1. Why should a Rush Candle burn longer than a Cotten one?
1771. Smollett, Humph. Cl., I. 15 May. Ten mould-candles, that had scarce ever been lit.
1851. W. P. Snow, Narr. Arct. Seas, iv. 46. Very little candle was required below at night, as there was seldom more than an hour or two’s darkness during any part of our voyage.
1856. Emerson, Eng. Traits, xii. Universities, Wks. (Bohn), II. 91. No candle or fire is ever lighted in the Bodleian.
b. In religious or superstitious use.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 20701. Gas þan wit fair processiun … Wit cirges and wit candel bright.
c. 1400. Apol. Loll., 48. Wil þu offir a candil þat þu geyt merit & grace?
1554. Woodde, Dial., D j, in Brand, Pop. Antiq. (1870), I. 27. Wherefore serveth holye Candels? To light up in thunder, and to bless men when they lye a dying.
1561. Pilkington, Burn. St. Pauls, I iv b, ibid. We shuld bear our Candel at her [the Virgin’s] Churching at Candlemas.
1611. Cotgr., s.v. Chandelle … There was for euery Saint his candle.
1824. W. Irving, T. Trav., II. 101. A votive candle placed before the image of a saint.
1865. Trollope, Belton Est., I. 13 (Hoppe). Captain Aylmer was member for Perivale in the Low Church interest…. He would say a sharp word or two … about vestments; he was strong against candles [i.e., the use of candles on the altar or communion-table in Anglican churches].
† c. as used at a sale by auction: see 5 d.
1662. Pepys, Diary, 3 Sept. After dinner we met and sold the hulkes, where pleasant to see how backward men are at first to bid; and yet when the candle is going out how they bawl.
1690. Records E. Ind. Comp., Mr. Thorowgood to manage the Company’s Candle at the Sale.
d. A standard spermaceti candle used as a unit of illuminating power: hence candle power.
1869. Roscoe, Elem. Chem., 98. Cannel gas is said to be equal to 34·4 candles.
1875. Ure, Dict. Arts, II. 553. 10,500 cubic feet of 25-candle gas to the ton.
1883. Harper’s Mag., Feb., 482/1. One hour’s light of two-thousand candle-power.
† 2. fig. A source of light; applied poetically (with attributes) to the natural luminaries. In OE. poetry dæʓ candel, heofon-candel, rodor candel, woruld-candel, Godes candel, were poetical terms for the sun. Obs.
Beowulf, 3148. Hadre scineþ rodores candel.
937. O. E. Chron., Glad ofer grundas Godes condel beorht.
c. 1374. Chaucer, Compl. Mars, 7. Loo yonde the sunne the candel of Ialosye.
1592. Shaks., Rom. & Jul., III. v. 9. Nights candles are burnt out.
1596. R. L[inche], Diella (1877), 37. He that can count the candles of the skie.
1634. Bp. Hall, Occas. Medit., xlix. Wks. (1808), 148. On a glow-worm. What a cold candle is lighted up, in the body of this sorry worm.
† 3. fig. a. That which illuminates the mind.
1532. Frith, Mirr. to know Thyself (1829), 267. Yet will I set you up a candle which shall … clearly dispel his mist and vain poetry.
1555. Latimer, in Foxe, A. & M. (1631), III. XI. 503/2. Wee shall this day light such a Candle by Gods grace in England, as I trust shall neuer bee put out.
a. 1619. Daniel, Coll. Hist. Eng. (1634), 2. Since the candle of letters gave us some little light therof.
b. The ‘light’ of life.
1535. Coverdale, Job xxi. 17. How oft shal the candle of ye wicked be put out.
1593. Shaks., 3 Hen. VI., II. vi. 1. Heere burnes my candle out; I, heere it dies. Ibid. (1605), Macb., V. v. 23. Out, out, breefe Candle, Life’s but a walking Shadow.
1642. Fuller, Holy & Prof. St., I. ii. 6. Her candle was put out, as soon as the day did dawn in S. Augustine.
1768. Blackstone, Comm., II. 175.
4. transf. a. A preparation containing resinous or aromatic substances for diffusion during burning; a pastil. Medicated candle: (see quots.)
1621. Burton, Anat. Mel., I. iii. III. (1651), 210. Perfumes, suffumigations, mixt candles, perspective glasses, and such natural causes.
1753. Chambers, Cycl. Supp., s.v., Medicinal Candles, candelæ fumales, are compositions of odoriferous, aromatic, and inflammable matters, as benzoin, storax … formed into masses in shape of candles. The effluvia and odours whereof when burnt, are supposed to be salutary to the breast.
1880. Syd. Soc. Lex., Medicated candle, a candle containing some drug for diffusion during burning … Mercurial candle.
† b. A bougie; a suppository. Obs.
1684. trans. Bonet’s Merc. Compit., XIX. 839. Suppositories are made round like Candles … whence they call them Candles from the similitude.
1753. Chambers, Cycl. Supp., s.v., Candles for caruncles of the urinary passage.
[1881. Syd. Soc. Lex., Candela, bougie.]
c. Mucus pendulous at the nose.
1858. Geo. Eliot, Amos Bart., i. (D.). The inveterate culprit was a boy of seven, vainly contending against ‘candles’ at his nose by feeble sniffing.
d. = CHRISTMAS CANDLE, ROMAN CANDLE, q.v.
II. 5. Phrases. a. Candle, book, and bell: see BELL sb.1 8.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 17110. Curced in kirc þan sal þai be wid candil, boke, and bell.
1842. Barham, Ingol. Leg., Jackdaw of Rheims. The cardinal rose with a dignified look, He called for his candle, his bell and his book.
† b. To set, light, proffer a candle before or to the devil: to propitiate or humor him, as saints are supposed to be propitiated by a votive candle; later, to hold a candle to the devil (by confusion with c): to serve or assist an evil person, to be active in evil courses. Obs.
c. 1461. Paston Lett., No. 428, II. 73. A man must sumtyme set a candel befor the devyle.
1562. J. Heywood, Prov. & Epigr. (1867), 20. I fearyng She would spit her venym, thought it not euyll To sette vp a candle before the deuyll.
1577. Tusser, Husb. (1878), 148. Thou maist find ease so proffering vp a candell to the deuill.
1599. Marston, Pigmal., II. 145. A damn’d Macheuelian Holds candle to the deuill for a while, That he the better may the world beguile.
1649. Howell, Pre-em. Parl., 20. According to the Italian Proverb, That one must sometimes light a candle to the Devil.
c. 1670. Lady Abergavenny, in R. Mansell, Narr. Popish Plot, 12. She could not endure to hear it, but yet was forced to hold a Candle to the Devil.
1828. Scott, F. M. Perth, II. 213 (D.). Here have I been holding a candle to the devil, to show him the way to mischief.
c. To hold a candle to another: lit. to assist him by holding the candle while he works; hence, to help in a subordinate position. Not to be able or fit to hold a candle to: not fit to hold even a subordinate position to, nothing to be compared to.
1550. Crowley, Way to Wealth, 131. Dise playars … that haue nothynge to playe for … Holde the candle to them that haue wherewyth, and wyll sette lustily to it.
1590. Greene, Never too late (1600), 19. Driuen … when I am worst able, forst to hold the candle.
1596. Shaks., Merch. V., II. vi. 41. Lorenzo. Descend, for you must be my torch-bearer. Jessica. What, must I hold a Candle to my shames?
1614. T. Adams, Devil’s Banquet, 225. Let Plato then, hold the candle to Moses.
1640. Sir E. Dering, Carmelite (1641), 43. Though I be not worthy to hold the candle to Aristotle.
1773. Byrom, Poems. Others aver that he to Handel Is scarcely fit to hold a candle.
1883. W. E. Norris, No New Thing, I. vii. 175. Edith is pretty, very pretty; but she can’t hold a candle to Nellie.
d. To sell or let by the candle, by inch of candle, etc.: to dispose of by auction in which bids are received so long as a small piece of candle burns, the last bid before the candle goes out securing the article; hence in many fig. and transf. uses. Cf. AUCTION 3.
This appears to have been a custom adopted from the French; cf. Littré, also Cotgr., s.v. Chandelle.
1652. Milton, Lett. State, Wks. 1738, II. 169. The Council thinks it meet to propose the way of selling by inch of Candle, as being the most probable means to procure the true Value of the goods.
1672. Sir T. Browne, Lett. to Friend, xx. (1881), 141. Mere pecuniary matches, or marriages made by the candle.
1680. in Sir J. Picton, L’pool Munic. Rec. (1883), I. 287. The new marked ground … was lett by inch of candle in the towne hall.
1697. Collier, Ess. Mor. Subj., II. (1709), 53. To give Interest a share in Friendship, is in effect to sell it by Inch of Candle.
1700. Act 11 & 12 Will. III., in Lond. Gaz., No. 6129/1. All such Goods … shall be sold at publick Sale by the Candle.
1797. Burke, Regic. Peace, iv. Wks. IX. 84. Where British faith and honour are to be sold by inch of candle.
1825. Hone, Every-day Bk., I. 837. Four acres … are let by inch of Candle.
1851. N. & Q., 15 Nov., 383. Forty or fifty years ago goods were advertised for public sale by the candle.
1727–51. Chambers, Cycl., s.v., There is also a kind of Excommunication by Inch of Candle; wherein, the time a lighted Candle continues burning, is allowed the sinner to come to repentance; but after which, he remains excommunicated to all intents and purposes.
† e. To smell of the candle: i.e., of work by night, of close and prolonged study. Obs.
1604. Hieron, Wks., I. 504. If that bee commendation … for a mans labours to smell of the candle. (Cf. LAMP.)
f. The game, play, etc., is not worth the candle: i.e., not worth the mere cost of supplying the necessary light (cf. 1550 in 5 c); not worth the labor expended.
(Of French origin: cf. Cotgr. s.v. Chandelle ‘Le jeu ne vaut pas la chandelle, it will not quit cost.’)
a. 1690. Temple, Ess. Health, Wks. 1731, I. 275. Perhaps the Play is not worth the Candle.
c. 1700. Gentl. Instruct. (1732), 556 (D.). After all, these discoveries are not worth the candle.
1874. P. Bayne, in Contemp. Rev., Oct., 706. The game would not be worth the candle.
g. To light or burn the candle at both ends: to consume or waste in two directions at once.
(Cf. Cotgr. ‘Brusler la chandelle par lex deux bouts.’)
1730–6. Bailey, s.v., The Candle burns at both Ends. Said when Husband and Wife are both Spendthrifts.
1753. Hanway, Trav. (1762), II. I. iii. 19. Apt to light their candle at both ends; that is to say, they are apt to consume too much, and work too little.
1848. Kingsley, Saint’s Trag., III. i. 140. To double all your griefs, and burn life’s candle, As village gossips say, at either end.
h. Various phrases obvious in meaning.
1551–6. Robinson, trans. More’s Utop. (1869 Arb.), 27. Set-furth the brightnes of the sonne with a candell as the Prouerbe saieth.
1579. Gosson, Sch. Abuse (Arb.), 41. I burnt one candle to seek another, and lost bothe my time and my trauell, when I had doone.
1581. Lambarde, Eiren., III. iv. 361. I shal but set a Candle in the Sunshine.
1607. Topsell, Four-f. Beasts, Pref. Another Physitian, lighting his Candle by the former lights, succeeded them in this great undertaking.
1676. M. Clifford, Hum. Reason, in Phenix (1708), II. 532. Men grope in the dark that light not their Candle at ours.
1728. Young, Love Fame, vii. 97. How commentators each dark passage shun, And hold their farthing candle to the sun.
a. 1873. Lytton, K. Chillingly, VIII. vii. (Hoppe). Slothfully determined to hide his candle under a bushel [cf. Matt. v. 15].
III. attrib. and Comb.
6. General relations: a. attributive, as candle-flame, -grease, -rack, -screen, -shine, -smoke, -time, -wright, etc.; b. objective, as candle-bearer, -bearing, -maker, -making, -seller, etc.
1555. Fardle Facions, II. xii. 267. The Acholite … occupieth the roume of *Candle-bearer.
1887. Spectator, 2 April, 463/1. Draughts which no *candle-flame was sensitive enough to indicate.
1774. Goldsm., Nat. Hist., VII. iii. 50 (Jod.). Drops of *candle-grease.
1611. Cotgr., Chandelier … a Chaundler, or *Candle-maker, or Candle-seller.
1611. Tourneur, Ath. Trag., V. ii. (1878), 142. Back to your *candle-making!
c. 1865. Letheby, in Circ. Sc., I. 98/1. We do not employ much wax … for candle-making.
1863. Baring-Gould, Iceland, 209. A curious *candlerack of wrought iron foliage.
1819. Post Off. Lond. Direct., 324. *Candle-screen Manufacturers.
1853. Miss E. S. Sheppard, Ch. Auchester, III. 230. By *candleshine, or the setting sun.
1647. R. Stapylton, Juvenal, 85. Foul’d with *candle smoak.
1658. Songs Costume (1849), 168. But you keep off till *candle-time.
1766. Entick, London, IV. 3. A street occupied, or chiefly inhabited by *candle-wrights, or candle-makers.
7. Special comb.: candle-ball, -bomb, a small glass bubble filled with water, which when held in the flame of a candle, bursts with a loud explosion; candle-bark (dial.), a candle-box (cf. BARK sb.1 8); candle-box, a box for keeping candles in; † candle-branch, a chandelier (cf. BRANCH sb. 2 d); candle-canting (see quot. and cf. 5 d); † candle-case, a case or box to keep candles in; candle-dipper, a machine for making candles by dipping; candle-dipping, the process of manufacturing candles by dipping as distinguished from molding; also attrib., as in candle-dipping machine; candle-fir (Sc.), ‘fir that has been buried in a morass, moss-fallen fir, split and used instead of candles’ (Jamieson); candle-fish, a sea-fish of the salmon family, frequenting the rivers of north-western America, which on account of its extreme oiliness is used when dried as a candle; † candle-fly, ‘a flie that houering about a candle burnes itself’ (Florio s.v. Farfalla), a moth; candle-hour, ? time when candles are burnt, night-time; † candle-inch (see 5 d); candle-lamp, a kind of lamp in which candles are used; candle-match, a match or fusee made of the wick of a candle, or of a piece of greased paper; † candle-mine (fig.), a mine of fat or candle material; candle-mo(u)ld, a mold or mold-frame for making candles in, now usually made of pewter or tin; candle-nut, the commercial name for the fruit of the Candleberry tree, or Candle-nut tree; candle-paper, a spill for lighting candles; † candle-quencher, an extinguisher; † candle-rush, the common rush, formerly used for making rush lights; † candle-shears, snuffers; candle-shrift, penance done with candles; † candle-silver, a money payment for the supply of candles; candle-slate (see quot.); † candle-sniting, the snuff of a candle; † candle-stuff, (a.) study or work done by candle-light; (b.) material for candles; candle-teening (dial.), -tending, -tining, the time for lighting or seeing to the candles, evening, nightfall. Also CANDLEBERRY, -END, -LIGHT, -STICK, etc.
1794. G. Adams, Nat. & Exp. Philos., I. ix. 325. This effect of vapour is … exemplified by the small machines called *candle-balls.
1823. in Crabb, Technol. Dict., *Candle-bomb.
1875. Lanc. Gloss. (E. D. S.), *Candle bark, cannel-bark, a candle-box.
1566. J. Haryngton, in Nugæ Ant. (1804), I. 106. That no man’s bed bee unmade, nor fire or *candle-box uncleane, after 8 of the clock in the morning.
1837. Carlyle, Fr. Rev., II. IV. vii. 223. Amid candle-boxes and treacle-barrels.
1599. Minsheu, Span. Dict., Candeléro de tinieblas, a *candle-branch that hath many candlestickes in it.
1875. Robinson, Whitby Gloss., s.v. Canting (E. D. S.), ‘A *cannle-canting’ when articles were appraised until a candle burned down to a certain mark, and the highest bidder got the bargain.
1596. Shaks., Tam. Shr., III. ii. 45. A paire of bootes that haue beene *candle-cases.
1604. B. Jonson, Case is Altered. Neither knive-cases, Pinne-cases, nor Candle-cases.
1882. Standard, 7 Oct., 5/2. The wonderful *candle-fish, or ‘oolachan,’ which ascends the North-Western rivers in March.
1886. Montreal Gaz., 14 Aug., 2/4, Advt. British Columbia ‘Candle Fish.’ This delicious fish, the ‘oolachan’ packed in small tubs—for family trade.
1626. Cockeram, II. Farfalla, a *Candle Fly.
1733. Bailey, Erasm. Colloq. (1877), 392 (D.). Why should an owl be an enemy to small birds … a turtle-dove to a candle-fly?
1650. G. Daniel, Trinarch., Crastini Anim., 12. Till when, our Numbers (destin’d to more) Creeps to a corner, at a *Candle-Hower.
1719. D’Urfey, Pills, I. 355. Meaning by *Candle-Inch to buy my Lot.
1882. E. O’Donovan, Merv Oasis, I. xxvi. 448. On the table burned half a dozen *candle-lamps.
1597. Shaks., 2 Hen. IV., II. iv. 326. You whorson *Candle-myne you.
1566. in Rogers, Agric. & Prices, III. 577/2. *Candle-mould.
1655. Mrq. Worcester, Cent. Inv., Index 8. A Candle-mold.
1835–6. Todd, Cycl. Anat., I. 58/1. The fruits of the Aleurites triloba … the *candle-nuts of the inhabitants of these remote regions.
1884. Leisure Ho., Feb., 86/2. Candle-nuts, which are exceedingly hard, but yield good oil.
1854. P. L. Simmonds, Comm. Products Veget. Kingd. (L.). The *candlenut tree grows in the Polynesian Islands.
1829. Praed, Poems (1865), I. 363. Twisting up his song Into the sweetest *candle-papers.
1382. Wyclif, Ex. xxv. 38. *Candelquenchers, and forsothe where the snoffes ben quenchid, be thei maad of moost puyr gold.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 60. *Candylrysche [v.r. candelrushe], papirus.
1578. Lyte, Dodoens, IV. lii. 511. The first [kind] … serueth for Matches to burne in lampes … is called … in English, the Rush candle, or candle rushe: Camels strawe.
1679. Plot, Staffordsh. (1686), 379. Both which it seems are Candle-rushes.
1483. Cath. Angl., 52. A *Candyl schers, emunctorium.
1611. Rates (Jam.). Candlesheares, the dozen pair xxxs.
1871. Rossetti, Dante at Ver., lvii. This Dante writ in answer thus … Hither to *candleshrift and mulct.
1420. Will of T. Exton, *Candelsilvyr qui in eadem ecclesia ut in aliis ecclesiis civitatis predicte tempore paschali colligi solent & levari.
1854. Pharmac. Jrnl., XIII. 623. *Candle-slates, and other bituminous shales.
1483. Cath. Angl., 53. A *Candylsnytynge, licinus, licinum.
1589. Nashe, in Greene, Menaphon (Arb.), 10. For recreation after their *Candle-stuffe.
1626. Bacon, Sylva, § 774. By the help of Oyl and Wax, and other Candle-stuff; the same may continue, and the wick not burn.
1519. Horman, Vulg., 261. About *candell tendynge the fyghtynge broke of.
1613. T. Godwin, Rom. Antiq. (1625), 132. Prima fax, Candle-tining.
1746. Exmoor Scolding (E. E. S.), 314. Vrom candle-dowting to candle-teening.
