Holding The Candle

Books are often known to increase your vocabulary. 

And I was reading a book after quite some time. Or rather, reading an interesting book after an year or so. With Rowling being the writer, a few additions to my limited vocab was surely on the way.

The sentence went as below.

~~ She could not hold a candle to Charlotte.

This sentence was about a comparison between the protagonist's ex-fiancee Charlotte and his current secretary Robin Ellacott. 

So what exactly is "holding the candle"? 

The framing of the sentence itself gives away the meaning. Going by the dictionary, it means being not [to be] equal to someone; unable to measure up to someone. If someone or something cannot hold a candle to someone or something else, they are not as good as that other person or thing.

Interesting words. And a different way of comparisons.

Holding The Candle

P.S. And yes, if you are wondering the book under question, it is The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith. 

And who exactly is Robert Galbraith? It's J K Rowling herself. This was her first book written under the pseudo name Galbraith. More details in an upcoming post.