burn the candle at both ends
Working until collapse
To burn the candle at both ends is to exhaust yourself by working too hard or staying up too late—using up energy from both directions at once.
The image is of a candle consumed twice as fast, leaving nothing.
Between her day job and night classes, she's been burning the candle at both ends.
Compulsive labor addict
- grindCrush into particles
- toilStrenuous, prolonged effort
- overcommitPromise more than feasible
- overloadBurden beyond capacity
overtime · hustle · juggling · overextended · overwhelmed · relentless · deadline · long hours
workaholic
Compulsive labor addict
- grindCrush into particles
- toilStrenuous, prolonged effort
- overcommitPromise more than feasible
overload · overtime · hustle · juggling · overextended · overwhelmed · relentless · deadline · long hours · multitasking
fatigue
Weariness from prolonged exertion
spent · tiredness · collapse · frazzled · worn out · run down · exhausted · weary · sapped · fatigued
- labor idiomsnose to the grindstone, pull your weight, crunch time, work like a dog, elbow grease
- risk phrasestake a chance, take a gamble, risk it all, go for broke, roll the dice
burn the candle at both endspace oneself
Control one's exertion rate
take it easy · slow down · take it slow · go easy · ease up
burn the candle at both endsrecharge one's batteries
Regain spent energy
rest up · recuperate · sleep like a log · hibernate · vegetate
burned, burning, burner, burnout, candle, candles, candlelight, candlestick, candlelit