burn the candle at both ends

Register · Neutral Neutral — appropriate in most situations, both spoken and written, without sounding too casual or too stiff. CEFR B2

Post

Figurative meaning

to work so hard and long that you exhaust yourself

Why this phrase?

A candle burning at both ends burns out twice as fast.

Example

“She's been burning the candle at both ends since the launch.”

Dictionary details

Component words

burn

Tags

Expressions connected by reviewed component words or topic tags.

burn rate Neutral · CEFR B2

the speed at which a company spends its cash reserves, usually measured per month

rat race Informal · CEFR B1

the exhausting, competitive struggle to keep up at work and get ahead

pressure cooker Informal · CEFR B2

an intensely stressful environment or situation

call it a day Informal · CEFR B1

To decide to stop working on something for now.

do the job Informal · CEFR B1

to be good enough to achieve the desired result

have your hands full Neutral · CEFR B1

To be very busy or fully occupied with responsibilities.

Source methodology

Meanings, register, CEFR, and examples come from the reviewed dictionary record. Expression notes may describe a reviewed present-day word picture or a background note; they are not presented as verified etymology.

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