wax candle

A wax candle burns brightly on the dining table.

Definition

Noun: A "wax candle" is a cylindrical object made of wax with a wick through its center, designed to be burned to provide light or fragrance.

Usage Examples

• (A candle made of wax used for lighting.)
• (A candle that produces fragrance as it burns.)
• (Candles used as emergency light sources.)

Advanced Usage

• "to burn the wax candle at both ends": to work excessively hard, often leading to exhaustion.
  • He has been burning the wax candle at both ends by working two jobs and studying. (He is overworking himself.)
• "to hold a wax candle to": to compare something unfavorably with something else.
  • Her cooking doesn't hold a wax candle to her mother's. (Her cooking is far inferior.)

Variants and Related Words

• Wax (n): a solid, yellowish substance produced by bees or manufactured synthetically, used for making candles.
  • The wax from the candle dripped onto the table. (The material of the candle.)
• Candle (n): a general term for any stick of wax with a wick, not necessarily made of wax.
  • He lit a candle before going to sleep. (A candle, possibly made of wax or other materials.)

Synonyms

• Taper: a long, slender candle.
  • The taper on the altar burned steadily. (A thin wax candle.)
• Beeswax candle: a candle made specifically from beeswax.
  • Beeswax candles are known for their natural honey scent. (A type of wax candle.)

Related Idioms

• "not worth the wax": not worth the effort or cost.
  • That old idea is not worth the wax of a candle. (It is completely useless.)
• "to light a wax candle for someone": to pray for someone's well-being.
  • She lit a wax candle for her sick grandmother in the church. (A religious act of prayer.)