When a candle goes out or when a piece of burning log goes out and you see smoke.

[moonlike]

Hi
When a candle goes out and you see smoke going up from it, how do you describe it?
Oh Gosh! the candle is .............?
Thanks a loot.

 

[Rover_KE]

'...burnt out'.

I thought of guttering at first, but that's what the flame does at an earlier stage when it's nearly burnt out – flickering, fluttering and struggling to stay alight.

A log would be smoking when it's no longer burning.

Rover

 

[emsr2d2]

Smouldering?

 

[5jj]

Smouldering?

Doesn't sound right to me. If it's not guttering, then I think it's just smoking.

 

[emsr2d2]

Hmm, you're right as far as a candle is concerned actually, now I think about it. However, I think I might describe a log as still smouldering after the actual flame has gone out.

 

[5jj]

Hmm, you're right as far as a candle is concerned actually, now I think about it. However, I think I might describe a log as still smouldering after the actual flame has gone out.

I agree.

We can use this of many things, but I think that smouldering needs to go on for some time, and that the thing smouldering is giving off some amount of heat and/or it is glowing (possibly only slightly). By blowing on what is smouldering and, possibly, adding more fuel, flames can be re-started.