Library / English Dictionary

CANDLE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Stick of wax with a wick in the middle

Synonyms:

candle; taper; wax light

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("candle" is a kind of...):

lamp (an artificial source of visible illumination)

Meronyms (parts of "candle"):

candlewick (the wick of a candle)

taper; wick (a loosely woven cord (in a candle or oil lamp) that draws fuel by capillary action up into the flame)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "candle"):

chandlery (candles and other commodities sold by a chandler)

dip (a candle that is made by repeated dipping in a pool of wax or tallow)

rush candle; rushlight (a tallow candle with a rush stem as the wick)

vigil candle; vigil light (a candle lighted by a worshiper in a church)

Sense 2

Meaning:

The basic unit of luminous intensity adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites; equal to 1/60 of the luminous intensity per square centimeter of a black body radiating at the temperature of 2,046 degrees Kelvin

Synonyms:

candela; candle; cd; standard candle

Classified under:

Nouns denoting quantities and units of measure

Hypernyms ("candle" is a kind of...):

candlepower unit; luminous intensity unit (a measure of luminous intensity)

Derivation:

candle (examine eggs for freshness by holding them against a light)

 II. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Examine eggs for freshness by holding them against a light

Classified under:

Verbs of seeing, hearing, feeling

Hypernyms (to "candle" is one way to...):

examine; see (observe, check out, and look over carefully or inspect)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

candle (the basic unit of luminous intensity adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites; equal to 1/60 of the luminous intensity per square centimeter of a black body radiating at the temperature of 2,046 degrees Kelvin)

Credits

 Context examples: 

If I only had a classical nose and mouth I should be perfectly happy, she said, surveying herself with a critical eye and a candle in each hand.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

The candle was relit, and there was our wretched captive, shivering and cowering in the grasp of the detective.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

He lit the two candles which stood upon the mantelpiece, and then he proceeded to turn back the corner of the carpet in the neighbourhood of the door.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

The eyes are large and brown, sometimes warm like a candle behind a curtain, sometimes very hard and bright like broken ice when sun shines upon it.

(Love of Life and Other Stories, by Jack London)

By it he laid the box of matches and the stump of a candle.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

You are very good, I hope it won't hurt your eyes—will you ring the bell for some working candles?

(Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen)

Then he fumbled in his bag, and taking out a matchbox and a piece of candle, proceeded to make a light.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

The lazarette was directly beneath the cabin, and, opening the trap-door in the floor and carrying a candle with me, I dropped down and began overhauling the ship’s stores.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

It attracted him as a candle attracts a moth.

(White Fang, by Jack London)

The candles and the fire must have burned out hours before, and they had been sitting there in the dark until dawn had broken.

(His Last Bow, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)