How do you pronounce hold a candle?

The recorded pronunciation is /ˌhoʊ̯ld ə ˈkæn.dəl/.

hold a candle

/ˌhoʊ̯ld ə ˈkæn.dəl/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.86 in modern English

Scrabble Score

Letters

Syllables

Unique Chars

verb

"The old computer just doesn't hold a candle to the latest models."
"But not a soul in Flychett could hold a candle to Yeobright."
"Old or young, I felt sure she could never at any time have holden a candle to that admirable lady, Alice Claiborne, now in some despite for her sake."
""I know, dear, it is I," his thin wife answered with a meek smile. "I was beautiful, there was no doubt about it, when you married me." "You were, my dear," agreed her husband: "As a girl few could hold a candle to you.""
"“[…]Speaking of pretty girls, my sister, Eileen, is a pretty girl. She is a downright beautiful girl.” “Yes,” said Donald, “she is, but she can’t hold a candle to you. How did she look when she was your age?”"
"Thirty miles north of CosMc’s, the McDonald’s No 1 Store Museum once stood, a replica of the company’s stunning post-war sci fi Googie architecture that CosMc’s’ retro-details barely hold a candle to."

From the custom of apprentices to a master holding a candle so that the master could see more clearly. The negative version implies that a person who was not fit even for such a simple task was worthless.

holds a candle (present, singular) holding a candle (participle, present) held a candle (participle, past) held a candle (past)

hold a candle for

hold a candle for