Green’s Dictionary of Slang

a spinster.

1984

Partridge DSUE (8th edn) 178/1: late C.19–20. Outmoded by 1967.

a Russian.

1904

Sydney Sportsman (Surry Hills, NSW) 11 May 3/5: The Japanese, / With greatest ease. / Have brought the Russians to their knees. / It made the candle-biters sneeze.

(US tramp) a Russian.

1930		‘Dean Stiff’ Milk and Honey Route 201: Candle eaters – Term sometimes used for the Russians.
1960		(con. 1950-1960) R.A. Freeman Dict. Inmate Sl. (Walla Walla, WA) 23: Candle-eater – a term used for a Russian.

a Roman Catholic church.

1909

J. Ware Passing Eng. of the Victorian Era.

(US black) melted wax from a candle, which drips down into globular beadlets.

1927		R.E. Kennedy Gritny People 119: She knew somebody was burning a candle over her to keep bad luck in her way [...] She was sure of it; because she found red pepper and buzzard feathers and candle-sperm tracks on her front door steps [DARE].
1996–2000		(con. 1940s) Deuce Ofay Productions ‘The Jive Bible’ at JiveOn.com 🌐 Candlesperm: n. Melted wax from a candle which drips down into globular beadlets resembling male ejaculate.

see separate entries.

derog. term for a scholar (who by working all night merely wastes illumination).

1549

T. Chaloner (trans.) Erasmus Praise of Folie (1509) 31: [T]hei that bringe any valiant feate to passe, are good blouddes, venturers, compaignions, swasshes [...] and none of these Philosophers candelwasters.

pertaining to sexual intercourse; cit. 1728 is in a gay context.

1728

J. Dalton Narrative of Street-Robberies 38: There is a Club of these Mollies [...] One of the Beauties of this Place is Mrs. Girl of Redriff, and with her (or rather him) dip Candle-Mary.