To burn out a candle in search of a pin.
To burn out a candle in search of a pin.
Meaning in plain English
A small gain may not justify a larger expense. Compare the value of what you are trying to recover with the resources spent in the search.
Example
A group spends hours trying to recover one easily replaced paper clip from a machine. It pauses to compare that effort with a safe, simple alternative.
Deeper explanation and when to use it
The candle is consumed while the person looks for a pin. The search can therefore cost more than the object recovered. The proverb highlights proportionality: attention to a tiny loss can create a greater one in time, materials or effort. Before continuing, ask what the object is worth and whether another method would be less costly. This is not a rule that every inexpensive object is unimportant. Its practical value, scarcity or personal significance may make a search worthwhile.
When to use it
Use it when pursuit of a minor saving is creating a larger cost.
Keep in mind
A low monetary price does not determine all value. Safety, personal meaning and scarcity can justify extra effort.
Edsverb editorial interpretation · agent reviewed · 2026-10-05. This explains the saying; it does not establish its historical origin.
- Source
- A Polyglot of Foreign Proverbs (1857)
Printed page 19; French section, paragraph 377; source wording: Gâter une chandelle pour trouver une épingle.
Read the original context ↗ - Attribution confidence
- traditional · historical anthology
Preserved as printed; independently unverified. - Historical coordinate
- Undated
No reliable date supplied by the collection. - Rights & edition
- Public domain (United States)
Translations and rights may differ elsewhere.
Provenance and licences ↗