burn the candle at both ends, to (you can’t) 🕯️
Definition: To exhaust one’s energies or resources by doing too much, often staying up late to play and rising early to work. This idiom vividly captures the essence of burning out.
Yet, burning the candle at both ends has a flair for the dramatic 😊. Swiping this idiom directly from the French (brusler la chandelle par les deux bouts) through Cotgrave’s Dictionary in 1611, it initially meant squandering material wealth. Soon, it generalized to life itself. Richard Flecknoe exclaimed in 1658, “He consuming just like a candle on both ends, betwixt wine and women."
Fast forward to 1920, even the candidly powerful pen of Edna St. Vincent Millay couldn’t resist: “My candle burns at both ends; It will not last the night; But ah, my foes, and oh, my friends—It gives a lovely light.” Millay, your poetic hypocrisy is forgiven; after all, who can’t resist a bright, albeit too brief, blaze?
Synonyms
- Burning the midnight oil
Antonyms
- Pacing oneself
- Maintaining balance
Inspirational Thought 🌟
“Exhaust your limits, but know your limits.” - Whaley Wordsmith
Humor-Filled Quote: “Live fast, die young, and leave a well-illuminated corpse.” - Unknown
Proverbs & Wisdom:
- Work hard, play hard… and sleep sometime in between.
- Too many sparkles make the candle flicker out.
Suggested Literature & Media 📚
- Books: “The Catcher in the Rye” by J.D. Salinger (for youthful rebellion and overexertion).
- Poetry: “First Fig” by Edna St. Vincent Millay.
- Songs: “Working Class Hero” by John Lennon.
- Movies: “The Devil Wears Prada” (constant hustle means perpetual exhaustion).
Farewell Thought: You can light up the world or yourself, so make sure you manage that candle wisely.
Till next time, keep your flames intentional and your stress minimal, Whaley Wordsmith
