candle: Meaning and Definition of

can•dle

1. a long, usually slender piece of tallow or wax with an embedded wick that is burned to give light.
2. something resembling a candle in appearance or use.
1. (formerly) candela.
2. Also calledinternational candle.a unit of luminous intensity, defined as a fraction of the luminous intensity of a group of 45 carbon-filament lamps: used from 1909 to 1948 as the international standard.
3. a unit of luminous intensity, equal to the luminous intensity of a wax candle of standard specifications: used prior to 1909 as the international standard. Abbr.: c., c
4. See(def. 43).
5. to compare favorably with (usually used in the negative): She's smart, but she can't hold a candle to her sister.
6. worth the trouble or effort involved (usually used in the negative): Trying to win them over to your viewpoint is not worth the candle.

1. to examine (eggs) for freshness, fertility, etc., by holding them up to a bright light.
2. to hold (a bottle of wine) in front of a lighted candle while decanting so as to detect sediment and prevent its being poured off with the wine.