courting candle
Word Rarity
Rare
Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.04 in modern English
20
Scrabble Score
14
Letters
4
Syllables
12
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
A coil-shaped candle, or a cylindrical candle placed inside of a spiral metal candleholder, historically used to limit the length of a suitor's visit during courtship. When the candle burned down to a certain adjustable point, it signaled that the suitor’s time was up and they were expected to leave.
Example Sentences
- "In the 1600’s to the 1800’s, courting candles were used by the man of the home to set boundaries for his daughter. When the daughter’s suitor came calling, the father lit the candle in a sitting room where the couple conversed. When the candles burnt to the metal at the top of the candle holder, it was time for the suitor to promptly leave. However, the father could change the height of the candle based on how comfortable he felt about the suitor."