"The game is not worth the candle" or "the candle is not worth it"

Saying phraseological "The game is not worth the candle," the person implies that the intended business is unprofitable, unprofitable. This expression came to the Russian language from the past, having a real fact. But which one? With this is to understand.

A modern comic view of phraseology

If today we offer young people to perform such a task: to describe the origin of the phrase "The game is not worth the candle" in the modern manner, it is likely that someone will offer such an option.

Players who decide to win a large sum of money at the races, go to the racetrack by car. But on the way they have trouble, because of which you have to change the car candles. Perhaps staying at home and not sitting in the car such a big company, it would have been avoided, but the hope of winning was significant enough, so the players decided to risk and leave the house without doing a thorough car inspection.

However, their calculations were incorrect: the win was so small that it did not even repay the vehicle repair. Therefore the phrase "The game is not worth the candle" described the situation as accurately as possible.

Or maybe the situation is considered when a cynic relating to love as a game, spent on candles for a romantic date. However, the lady of the heart (or the unfortunate victim of deception?) Turned out to be intractable, and why the cynical Lovelace's wastes were made meaningless, his "game" was fiasco!

Theater and phraseology

In principle, this explanation does not contradict the truth. Although to affirm the fact that the expression "The game is not worth the candle" concerns exactly the repair of the car, it will be incorrect. After all, in those days when it appeared in the speech, there were no cars yet. And electricity, by the way, too.

So, perhaps, the phraseology "The game is not worth the candle" was due to another event? Suppose, candles, about which there is a conversation, were used to illuminate theatrical stage and auditorium, and by the word "game" was implied act of actors. Spending a large amount of money on candles, the director of the theater found almost empty treasury: the people did not show up for the performance in such a way that the proceeds from the sale of tickets could pay back the expenses.

Synonymous phrases

In principle, this option does not contradict the true meaning of phraseology. After all, this situation accurately conveys the meaning of the expression: the performance did not bring benefits, it was unprofitable, unprofitable. In such cases, it is often said that "the ovchinka is not worth the candle."

Many businessmen, considering some dubious proposals and calculating future net incomes, use the expression "Overseas, a heifer costs a half, and a ruble for transportation". This phraseology in this situation can also serve as a synonym for expressing a game and a candle.

The true origin of the phrase

However, most linguists tend to believe that the etymology of this expression goes back to playing cards. And if in the evening, when lit candles at the card table, small bets were made or the game was played with varying success, as a result of which none of the players received any significant winnings, the phrase was as lucid as possible describing the meaninglessness of the money spent on lighting.

For a long time people have had electricity in their lives, and the expression that came to the language from antiquity is still actively used in speech. When the costs exceed the income, it is unlikely that someone will hold back, not to recall a card game that did not bring money to its participants.

And what does it mean "The game is worth the candle," did anyone think? For sure, yes. Knowing the meaning of the expression "The game is not worth the candle," it's easy to explain the meaning of his antonym. That is, considering this expression and its etymology, it is possible to give such an explanation to phraseology: a matter that is planned, sufficiently profitable, profitable, profitable. Or, at least, it will not lead a person into embezzlement, it will pay off, in a literal sense, the expression means: the price of candles (costs) will not exceed the winnings (incomes), which in itself already indicates the profitability of the undertaking. It's like a good card game, when the winner of the big payoff pays for used candles during the evening pastime and does not remain in vnaklade.