burning the 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

verb
  1. gerundparticiplepresentpresent participle and gerund of burn the candle at both ends
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

“burning the candle at both ends.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/burning%20the%20candle%20at%20both%20ends. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

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

Source: burning the candle at both ends on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.