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?

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.

Burning the candle at both ends origin

The idiom was translated from French in This means that you were causing your money to disappear. This is because candles were expensive and burning them cost money. If you were burning the candle at both ends, you were being wasteful. You would also have to hold the candle horizontally, which leads to the wax dripping off and being wasted. The idiom has since taken on a different meaning. Both ends refer to the end and beginning of the day. If you have to light a candle, then we assume it is dark outside. Thus, if you burn it in the morning, you are up before the sun, and if you burn it at night, it is already dark when you finish. The poet Edna St. Share your opinions 2 Opinions. Fire , Light , Work. Example Sentences Since starting my new job, I have been burning the candle at both ends. Working and studying at the same time has led to me having to burn the candle at both ends. She has been burning the candle at both ends by doing a full-time job and preparing for her International English Language Test exams.

English—French French—English. Working and studying at the same time has led to me having to burn the candle at both ends. See more.

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:.

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.

Burning the candle at both ends origin

Are you working day and night on a project? You could say you're 'burning the candle at both ends. The expression 'burning the candle at both ends' means someone is working hard day and night, taking little rest. They could be working on research, a project, or just dealing with a hectic life where they have severe constraints on their time. People that 'burn the candle at both ends' are top performers in their industry. However, the phrase can also refer to home life. For instance, a single mother with a day job is 'burning the candle at both ends' to take care of her kids and put food on the table.

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English—Spanish Spanish—English. And at night you come home to write still more? 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. Choose your language. My younger daughter is obsessed with becoming a painter. Sign up for free and get access to exclusive content:. Her establishment was costly on the one hand; her pleasures costly on the other. 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. Origin: To burn the candle at both ends has changed meaning since its inception in the 18th century. That tall child looks terrible!

The phrase "burn the candle at both ends" is a popular idiom used to describe a situation where someone works too hard or tries too much at once.

My word lists. Cancel Submit. Hidden categories: Mandarin terms with redundant transliterations Requests for translations into Dutch Requests for translations into Esperanto Requests for translations into Korean Requests for translations into Vietnamese. This means that you were causing your money to disappear. Namespaces Entry Discussion. Dictionary Definitions Clear explanations of natural written and spoken English. To live at a hectic pace. Essential British English. Right where his hand is now. The idiom has since taken on a different meaning. English—Japanese Japanese—English. Both ends refer to the end and beginning of the day.