Such candles soon burn out (5)
I believe the answer is:
roman
'out' is the definition.
Although both the answer and definition are adjectives, I can't see how one could define the other.
I don't understand how the remainder of the clue works.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for roman that I've seen before include "Denizen of the eternal city" , "Old Italian l" , "- Catholic; - candle" , "Citizen of Italian capital" , "- Empire; - nose" .)