hold a light
Synonym of hold a candle.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“No other local restaurant can hold a light to this one.”
“While the new software is decent, it cannot hold a light to the original version we used for years.”
“Although the young pianist showed promise, his technical skill simply could not hold a light to the mastery displayed by the legendary performers of the past.”
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amber light
Hesitance to proceed; limited approval or permission to proceed.
- 02
apron-string hold
An estate held by a man during his wife's life.
- 03
bright lights
The glamour and glitz of a place, especially a big city.
- 04
bring to light
To expose, disclose or reveal something that was hidden or unknown.
- 05
buy and hold
A passive investment strategy where an investor purchases an asset and retains it for many years, rather than trading it frequently.
- 06
come to light
To become known; to be revealed.
- 07
don't hold your breath
Don't wait. Said cynically to suggest that what has just been mentioned is unlikely to happen soon or at all.
- 08
false light
A point of view resulting in a misleading or inaccurate representation of a person, situation, or fact.
Last updated August 10, 2026