Burning the candle at both ends
Meaning
To exhaust oneself by working or living excessively, often leading to burnout or poor health.
Origin
The vivid image of a candle burning rapidly from both its wick and its base, consuming itself at an accelerated rate, perfectly captures the essence of exhaustion. This poetic metaphor gained prominence in English after being translated from a French proverb. The French poet Marie de Rabutin-Chantal, marquise de Sévigné, famously used the phrase "brûler la chandelle par les deux bouts" in a letter dated February 16, 1693, describing someone living an extravagant and unsustainable lifestyle. This striking imagery, which she may have popularized rather than invented, quickly resonated with English speakers, becoming a widely adopted idiom to describe someone overworking or over-extending themselves.
Examples
- After weeks of studying all night and working full-time, Sarah realized she was burning the candle at both ends and desperately needed a break.
- His doctor warned him that constantly traveling for business and maintaining a busy social calendar meant he was burning the candle at both ends.