wick

A wick is the small string or strip inside a candle, lamp, or lighter that carries fuel to the flame so it can keep burning. In a candle, it pulls up melted wax. In an oil lamp, it draws up oil. Think of a candle glowing inside a jack-o'-lantern: the wick is the part that keeps that small, steady light alive.

The word can also appear in modern everyday English in phrases like "moisture-wicking fabric." There, it means a material that pulls moisture away from a surface, usually your skin, so it can dry more easily. In British English, if something "gets on your wick," it annoys you. So the word can describe both a real object that feeds a flame and, by extension, the idea of drawing something away.

A wick is a strip or braided piece of material, usually cotton, that draws fuel toward a flame. In a candle, it pulls up melted wax. In an oil lamp, it pulls up oil. This happens through capillary action, which means the liquid travels through the fibers. Without a wick, the fuel would still be there, but it would not feed the flame in a controlled way. The wick helps the flame stay small, steady, and useful.

Wicks have been used for a very long time in candles, lamps, and other simple light sources. Different materials have been used in different places and times, including plant fibers, linen, and cotton. Modern candle wicks are often made from braided cotton, sometimes with paper or other materials added to help them burn in a stable way.

The word is also used more broadly today. In clothing and sportswear, "wick" or "wick away" means to pull moisture away from the body. That is why labels often say "moisture-wicking": the fabric moves sweat away from your skin so it can spread out and dry faster. The idea is similar to a candle wick drawing wax or oil upward.

There are also idiomatic uses. In British English, if something "gets on your wick," it is very annoying. You may also hear "short wick" to describe a quick temper, although "short fuse" is much more common. Whether it is part of a candle, part of a lamp, or part of a phrase about sweat or irritation, a wick is usually something that draws material along and helps something else happen.