chandelier
/ˌʃandəˈlɪə
/- The light from candlelit chandeliers cast a soft and erratic glow upon her skin.
- A hundred strings and chains dangled candle lamps and small chandeliers at about ten foot.
Origin
Mid 18th century: from French, from chandelle 'candle', from Latin candela, from candere 'be white, glisten'.
candle from Old English:
Old English candel came from Latin candela, from candere ‘to be white, shine, glisten’ (compare candid). From the same source comes chandelier (mid 18th century) from Old French chandelier which also gave Middle English chandler, originally a candle maker or seller. A person who cannot hold a candle to someone else is nowhere near as good as them. In the past an assistant might stand next to his superior with a candle to provide light to work by, and so the idea of holding a candle to someone became synonymous with helping them as a subordinate or in a menial way. Not worth the candle originated as a translation of the French phrase le jeu ne vaut pas la chandelle, ‘the game is not worth the candle’. The ‘game’ was a game of cards involving betting, and would not be worth playing if the expense of candles to provide light was more than the expected winnings.
Rhymes
- free text
- freethinker
- freethinking
- free-thought
- free throw
- free-throw circle
- free-throw lane
- free-to-air
- Freetown
- free trade
- free-trader
- free-trading
- free-tradist
- free transfer
- free TV
- free union
- free university
- free variable
- free vector
- free verse
- free-verser
- free vortex
- free vote
- free ward
- freeware