Roman-candle

English Alternative forms en Roman candle roman-candle roman candle Roman Candle Etymology A verbal form of Roman candle. Verb en figuratively intransitive To move from or spin away in the manner of a Roman candle. en 1990 Shoot to Kill: A Soldier's Journey Through Violence Michael Asher 189 His canopy had snagged on the tailplane of the aircraft, causing him to Roman-candle into the rocky desert ground. en 2005 Aircraft Down: Forced Landings, Crash Landings and Rescues Alec Brew Luckily, the seat parted company enough for his parachute to Roman-candle, and almost immediately he crashed through a tree. en 2014 But Enough About You: Essays Christopher Buckley 428 Ronald Reagan went on TV hours after the space shuttle Challenger tragically Roman-candled over Florida and said, "The future doesn't belong to the fainthearted; it belongs to the brave." en figuratively intransitive To achieve or attain fame or success quickly and rapidly. en 1956 Variety 201 5 100 Roman candled to fame in Gertrude Lawrence's legit musical, "Lady In The Dark," which put Freud in grease-paint. en 6 Mar 1965 Billboard WPIX Show Will Host Coast Artists 77 10 48 Murry (the K) Kaufman, whose seven-year "Swingin' Soiree" Roman-candled Saturday (27), has taped a pilot for the station. en figuratively transitive To light up with excitement that lacks of focus or direction. en 1974 Holiday 30 Despite the severe shortage of goose-bump manufacturers of late in our jaded, weary world, music never fails to roman-candle the spine. en 1983 The Baby Chase Tony Kornheiser 124 I was Roman candling with less frequency; the more accustomed to the chase I became, the less manic I acted. en 2009 Like No Other Lover: Julie Anne Long 6 And then absurd notions roman-candled in his mind.