not worth the candle

Questions

What does not worth the candle mean?

Not worth the cost or trouble.

Where does not worth the candle come from?

Calque of French le jeu n'en vaut pas la chandelle.

How to pronounce not worth the candle

1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “not worth the candle”.
2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling () so you know which sounds to aim for.
3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “not worth the candle”.
4. Repeat and practice — Say “not worth the candle” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.