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hold a candle

verb
/ˌhəʊ̯ld ə ˈkan.dəl/UK/ˌhoʊ̯ld ə ˈkæn.dəl/CA/ˌhəʉ̯ld ə ˈkæn.dəl/

Etymology

From the custom of apprentices to a master holding a candle so that the master could see more clearly. The negative version implies that a person who was not fit even for such a simple task was worthless.

Definitions

  1. To compare

    To compare; to be even remotely of the same quality, skill, etc. as another.

    • The old computer just doesn't hold a candle to the latest models.
    • But not a soul in Flychett could hold a candle to Yeobright.
    • Old or young, I felt sure she could never at any time have holden a candle to that admirable lady, Alice Claiborne, now in some despite for her sake.

The neighborhood

Vish — recursive loop

No curated loop yet for hold a candle. Loops are being traced one word at a time while the ingestion pipeline matures.

sense glosses and etymology drawn from English Wiktionary · source · CC-BY-SA