Holding a Candle to Someone

The phrase hold a candle to someone can be traced back to an english document that appeared this time in the year 15 50. The phrase actually refers to a common activity in the era before electricity. During the early modern era, buildings were always a little dark inside and at night time, it was dark outside as well. So wealthy people would often have a servant that would hold a candle for them if they needed a little extra light. And even the poor sometimes needed some one to hold aCandle for them if their hands were full or occupied. But if some one was incompetent or useless, then they weren't even fit to hold a Candle to someone. That's how we got the modern