To work more than usual, to extraordinary work (mentally or physical) until you get tired
Etymology:
- In the late 16th century, this French expression entered into English. Originally, if you took a candle and burned it at both ends, it would be melted faster than usual. Therefore, this expression is used for those who work hard day and night until they get exhausted.
- 29 Views
“
Mr. Walter works as a salesman in a shop during the day and as a waiter in a restaurant at night. He is burning the candle at both ends.
Submitted on February 25, 2019
Additional definitions for 'Burn the Candle at Both Ends':
burn the candle at both ends | To work hard night and day. |
burn the candle at both ends | To waste something in two directions at once. |
Translation
Find a translation for the Burn the Candle at Both Ends phrase in other languages:
Select another language:
- - Select -
- 简体中文 (Chinese - Simplified)
- 繁體中文 (Chinese - Traditional)
- Español (Spanish)
- Esperanto (Esperanto)
- 日本語 (Japanese)
- Português (Portuguese)
- Deutsch (German)
- العربية (Arabic)
- Français (French)
- Русский (Russian)
- ಕನ್ನಡ (Kannada)
- 한국어 (Korean)
- עברית (Hebrew)
- Gaeilge (Irish)
- Українська (Ukrainian)
- اردو (Urdu)
- Magyar (Hungarian)
- मानक हिन्दी (Hindi)
- Indonesia (Indonesian)
- Italiano (Italian)
- தமிழ் (Tamil)
- Türkçe (Turkish)
- తెలుగు (Telugu)
- ภาษาไทย (Thai)
- Tiếng Việt (Vietnamese)
- Čeština (Czech)
- Polski (Polish)
- Bahasa Indonesia (Indonesian)
- Românește (Romanian)
- Nederlands (Dutch)
- Ελληνικά (Greek)
- Latinum (Latin)
- Svenska (Swedish)
- Dansk (Danish)
- Suomi (Finnish)
- فارسی (Persian)
- ייִדיש (Yiddish)
- հայերեն (Armenian)
- Norsk (Norwegian)
- English (English)
Nearby phrases
Some more phrases from our dictionary similar to Burn the Candle at Both Ends
How to pronounce this phrase?
Citation
Use the citation below to add this Burn the Candle at Both Ends definition to your bibliography:
Style:MLAChicagoAPA
"Burn the Candle at Both Ends." Phrases.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 21 Nov. 2024. <https://www.phrases.com/phrase/burn-the-candle-at-both-ends_44519>.
Discuss this Burn the Candle at Both Ends phrase with the community:
Report Comment
We're doing our best to make sure our content is useful, accurate and safe.
If by any chance you spot an inappropriate comment while navigating through our website please use this form to let us know, and we'll take care of it shortly.
Attachment
You need to be logged in to favorite.
Log In