to  hold   a candle to the Devil
hold
həʊld
hewld
<abbr style="text-decoration: underline;" title="a / the" > a</abbr>
ə
ē
candle
kændl
kāndl
to
tu:
too
the
ðə
dhē
Devil
devəl
devēl

Definition & Meaning of "hold a candle to the Devil"in English

to hold a candle to the devil
01

to be comparable to someone who is very evil 

to [hold] (a|the) candle to the Devil definition and meaning
Idiom
Informal

What is the origin of the idiom "hold a candle to the Devil" and when to use it?

The idiom "hold a candle to the devil" originated from the Bible, where Satan is referred to as the “father of lies” (John 8:44). It also is also related to the practice of lighting candles in churches during religious services. The candles were lit to represent the presence of God, and it was considered a great sin to extinguish them. This expression is typically used to describe someone who is very evil or wicked.

Examples
After what he did to those families, he could hold a candle to the Devil. 
LanGeek
Download LanGeek app
langeek application

Download Mobile App

App Store