burn one's candle at both ends

A form of burn the candle at both ends — To work hard night and day; to sleep late and wake up early; to overwork or overexert oneself.

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Meanings

verbburn one's candle at both ends (third-person singular simple present burns one's candle at both ends, present participle burning one's candle at both ends, simple past and past participle burned one's candle at both ends or burnt one's candle at both ends)

present singular third person burns one's candle at both ends · participle present burning one's candle at both ends · participle past burned one's candle at both ends · past burned one's candle at both ends · participle past burnt one's candle at both ends · past burnt one's candle at both ends

  1. alternativeAlternative form of burn the candle at both ends.

    She has been burning her candle at both ends lately, trying to put it together on time.

Cite this entry
APA

burn one's candle at both ends. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/burn%20one's%20candle%20at%20both%20ends

MLA

“burn one's candle at both ends.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/burn%20one's%20candle%20at%20both%20ends. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “burn one's candle at both ends,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/burn%20one's%20candle%20at%20both%20ends.

Source: burn one's candle at both ends on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.