English Idioms — Choose the closest meaning in context. Sentence: I am afraid he is burning the candle at both ends and ruining his life.

Introduction / Context:
The idiom “burning the candle at both ends” is widely used in workplace English, exam passages, and wellness articles. It refers to exhausting oneself by working excessively, often late into the night and early in the morning, leaving little time to rest. The sentence adds a consequence—“ruining his life”—which reinforces the idea of self-destructive overwork rather than money waste or generosity.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Idiom: burning the candle at both ends.
• Context: warning tone (“I am afraid …”) and negative outcome (“ruining his life”).
• We must select the most accurate paraphrase among semantically close distractors.

Concept / Approach:
Historically, candles were valuable; burning from both ends would shorten usable time quickly. Figuratively, the idiom means overusing one’s time and energy by doing too much at once, usually with inadequate sleep. The best single-line substitute is “overtaxing his energies.”

Step-by-Step Solution:

Verification / Alternative check:
Substitute: “he is overtaxing his energies and ruining his life.” This preserves tone and logic. Wellness guidance also frames this idiom as a warning against burnout and sleep deprivation, aligning with the chosen option.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• wasting his money: The idiom concerns time/energy, not finances.
• becoming overgenerous: About giving; unrelated to fatigue.
• losing his objectives: Vague; does not express physical/mental exhaustion.

Common Pitfalls:
Learners sometimes misread the image literally, guessing about “money” because candles cost money. Focus on the idiomatic, not literal, meaning: chronic overexertion and neglect of rest.

Final Answer:
overtaxing his energies