Forms: 4 candeliȝt; see also CANDLE and LIGHT. [OE. candel leoht, f. candel, CANDLE sb. + leoht, LIGHT.]

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  1.  The light given by a candle or by candles. Often, artificial light in general.

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a. 1000.  C. R. Benet, 53 (Bosw.). Candel-leoht.

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c. 1205.  Lay., 23752. Þer wes al longe niht songes and candel-liht.

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c. 1380.  Sir Ferumb., 2544. Þay schyne þer in tal þat house so doþ þe candeliȝt.

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c. 1430.  Hymms Virg. (1867), 123. As cler as candyl-lyȝth.

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1678.  Trial Coleman, 30. I cannot see a great way by Candle-light.

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1710.  Addison, Tatler, No. 240, ¶ 5. One who had studied Thirty Years by Candle-light.

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1716–8.  Lady M. W. Montague, Lett., I. xix. 59. A very fine effect by candle-light.

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1874.  Helps, Soc. Press., ix. 133. Well, don’t you think that most men fall in love by candlelight?

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  b.  ‘The necessary candles for use’ (J.).

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1523.  Fitzherb., Husb., § 149. Whether the warkes that thou … & thy seruauntes shall do be more auauntage to the than the fyre & candell-lyghte, meat & drynk yt they shall spende.

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a. 1704.  Molineux, Lett. to Locke (J.). I shall find him coals and candlelight.

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  c.  A picture representing a scene by candlelight.

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1762–71.  H. Walpole, Vertue’s Anecd. Paint. (1786), III. 24. He frequently painted candle-lights.

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  † d.  fig. ‘Light’ of life. Cf. CANDLE 3 b. Obs.

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1596.  Spenser, F. Q., VI. III. iii. A man of full ripe yeares … weake age had dimd his candlelight.

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  2.  The time during, or at, which candles are lighted; dusk, nightfall.

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1663.  Pepys, Diary, 29 Aug. She and I, it being candlelight, bought meat for to-morrow.

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1699.  Luttrell, Brief Rel. (1857), IV. 481. Yesterday the lords satt till after candlelight debating his majesties speech.

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1699.  Bentley, Phal., Pref. p. xxvi. The Whole might be done from the beginning to the end twice over before Candle-light.

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1876.  Bancroft, Hist. U.S., V. lix. 195. Soon after candle-light on the fourth … the firing was renewed.

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  3.  attrib. Of or pertaining to candlelight.

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1634–46.  Row, Hist. Kirk (1842), 328. Unlawfull conventicles, candle-light congregations.

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1645.  Quarles, Sol. Recant., VIII. 80. Candle-light devotion.

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1813.  Examiner, 21 Feb., 124/1. The colouring of the flesh now reminds us of the candle-light glow of Titian.

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1797–1803.  Foster, in Life & Corr. (1846), I. 178. Pages of vulgar truisms and candle-light sense.

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1832.  Marryat, N. Forster, III. vii. 101. A very pretty candle-light colour.

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