English idiom

burn the candle at both ends

Register · Neutral 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.”

Recorded usage

These full forms were measured in COCA in 2016–2017. Counts apply to the quoted form, not every use of this idiom; overlapping forms are not added together.

“Don't burn the candle at both ends” — 0 recorded occurrences

Grouped source variants; editorially classified here as an idiom. Usage counts are separate from CEFR difficulty.

Dictionary details

Component words

burn

Tags

Expressions connected by reviewed component words or topic tags.

burn rate

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

rat race

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

pressure cooker

an intensely stressful environment or situation

call it a day

To decide to stop working on something for now.

do the job

to be good enough to achieve the desired result

have your hands full

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.

External links

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