candle
- 01 A2 Elementary
n.a stick of wax with a string (wick) in the middle that you burn to produce light.
n.a light source consisting of a wick embedded in a solid, flammable substance such as wax or paraffin.
Simple“She lit a scented candle to make the living room feel more relaxing.”
In context“The power cut forced the family to rely on a few old candles they found in the kitchen drawer.”
Synonyms - 02 C2 Proficiency
v.to look through something, like an egg or an envelope, by holding it up to a bright light.
v.to examine an object by holding it between the eye and a light source, typically to check for internal defects or contents.
Simple“The farmer had to candle the eggs to see which ones were developing properly.”
In context“Security personnel may candle suspicious envelopes to determine if they contain any illicit materials without opening the seal.”
UsageThis transitive verb is most commonly used in poultry farming or postal security.
- 03 C2 Proficiency
n.an old way of measuring how bright a light is.
n.a former unit of luminous intensity, now largely superseded by the SI unit candela.
Simple“The old lighthouse used a lamp that was equal to thousands of candles.”
In context“Early photometric standards relied on the light emitted by a standard candle of specific composition and weight.”
Synonymscandlepowercandela
“Boiling water is too hot to touch safely, and a candle flame is even hotter.”
From Middle English candel, from Old English candel (“candle”), borrowed from Latin candēla (“candle”), from Latin candeō (“be white, bright, shining”, verb); see candid. Doublet of candela and chandelle.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.