candle [OE] Old English candel came from Latin candela, from candere ‘to be white, shine, glisten’ (Compare candid). From the same source comes chandelier [M18th] from Old French chandelier which also gave Middle English chandler, originally a candle maker or seller. A person who cannot hold a candle to [M16th] someone else is nowhere near as good as them. In the past an assistant might stand next to his superior with a candle to provide light to work by, and so the idea of holding a candle to someone became synonymous with helping them as a subordinate or in a menial way. Not worth the candle [L17th] originated as a translation of the French phrase le jeu ne vaut pas la chandelle, ‘the game is not worth the candle’. The ‘game’ was a game of cards involving betting, and would not be worth playing if the expense of candles to provide light was more than the expected winnings.