Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
Candle \Can"dle\, n. [OE. candel, candel, AS, candel, fr. L.
candela a (white) light made of wax or tallow, fr. cand["e]re
to be white. See {Candid}, and cf. {Chandler}, {Cannel},
{Kindle}.]
1. A slender, cylindrical body of tallow, containing a wick
composed of loosely twisted linen of cotton threads, and
used to furnish light.
How far that little candle throws his beams! So
shines a good deed in a naughty world. --Shak.
Note: Candles are usually made by repeatedly dipping the
wicks in the melted tallow, etc. (``dipped candles''),
or by casting or running in a mold.
2. That which gives light; a luminary.
By these blessed candles of the night. --Shak.
{Candle nut}, the fruit of a euphorbiaceous shrub ({Aleurites
triloba}), a native of some of the Pacific islands; --
socalled because, when dry, it will burn with a bright
flame, and is used by the natives as a candle. The oil has
many uses.
{Candle power} (Photom.), illuminating power, as of a lamp,
or gas flame, reckoned in terms of the light of a standard
candle.
{Electric candle}, A modification of the electric arc lamp,
in which the carbon rods, instead of being placed end to
end, are arranged side by side, and at a distance suitable
for the formation of the arc at the tip; -- called also,
from the name of the inventor, {Jablockoff candle}.
{Excommunication by inch of candle}, a form of
excommunication in which the offender is allowed time to
repent only while a candle burns.
{Not worth the candle}, not worth the cost or trouble.
{Rush candle}, a candle made of the pith of certain rushes,
peeled except on one side, and dipped in grease.
{Sale by inch of candle}, an auction in which persons are
allowed to bid only till a small piece of candle burns
out.
{Standard candle} (Photom.), a special form of candle
employed as a standard in photometric measurements;
usually, a candle of spermaceti so constructed as to burn
at the rate of 120 grains, or 7.8 grams, per hour.
{To curse by bell, book and candle}. See under {Bell}.
Source : WordNet®
candle
n 1: stick of wax with a wick in the middle [syn: {taper}, {wax
light}]
2: 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 [syn:
{candela}, {cd}, {standard candle}]
candle
v : examine eggs for freshness by holding them against a light
Source : Free On-Line Dictionary of Computing
Candle
Part of the {Scorpion} environment development system.
(1994-11-09)