| 释义 |
▪ I. standard, n. (a.)|ˈstændəd|
Also 4–6 standarde, 4–5 stondard, 4–6 standerde, 4–7 standerd, (6 standred), 4–7, 8 rare standart, 5–6 standert (5 estandert, 6 standertt), stondart(e (5 stondert), 6 stander, 7 Sc. stender. See also estandard.
[aphetic a. OF. estandard, -art, -estendard, -art (mod.F. étendard) = med.L. standardum, -us, standarium, etc. Pr. estandard, -art, Sp., Pg. estandarte, It. stendardo; according to most scholars f. com. Rom. estend-ere (L. extend-ĕre to stretch out: see extend v.) + -ard; a parallel synonymous formation with different suffix is It. stendale, late OF. estandale, -deille (med.L. standale, -ālis). The Fr. word has passed into all the living Teut. langs.: MHG. stanthart (by popular etymology, as if ‘stand hard’), later standart, standert (mod.G. standarte), MDu. standaert (mod.Du. standaard, standerd), Da. standart, Sw. standar.
The origin of sense 9 (‘standard of measure or weight’), whence the other senses in branch II are derived, is somewhat obscure. It appears in AF. (estaundart) and Anglo-L. (standardus) in the 13th c., two centuries earlier than our earliest vernacular instance. It has not been found in continental OF.; the use of Du. standaard in this sense is believed to be imitated from English. It is noteworthy that in early instances the standard of measure is always either expressly or by implication called ‘the king's standard’, an expression which belongs to the older sense 1. It seems probable that sense 9 is a fig. use of sense 1; the king's standard being the point of reunion of the army, and the centre from which commands are issued.
The senses grouped as branch III are of doubtful, probably of various and in some instances of mixed origin. The notion of ‘something conspicuously erected’, involved in sense 1, would account for several of them; others may be referred to the idea of ‘something permanent, fixed, or stationary’, generalized from sense 9. Etymological association with stand v. has, however, certainly affected the whole group, and it is possible that in some uses the word should be regarded as an alteration of stander. The senses of this branch are almost confined to English: OF. has estandart some kind of torch (rare—1), and WFlem. has standaart mill-post (De Bo; standaert, Kilian); but the relation of these to the English uses is obscure.]
A. n.
I. A military or naval ensign.
1. a. A flag, sculptured figure, or other conspicuous object, raised on a pole to indicate the rallying-point of an army (or fleet), or of one of its component portions; the distinctive ensign of a king, great noble, or commander, or of a nation or city.
† standard-general: the principal standard of an army.
In Eng. the word appears first with reference to the ‘Battle of the Standard’ in 1138. A contemporary writer, Richard of Hexham, relating the story of the battle, describes the ‘standard’ there used as a mast of a ship, with flags at the top, mounted in the middle of a machine which was brought into the field. He quotes a Latin couplet written on the occasion, which says that the standard was so called from ‘stand’, because ‘it was there that valour took its stand to conquer or die’.
1154O.E. Chron. (Laud MS.) an. 1138, Him [sc. king David of Scotland] com to ᵹænes Willelm eorl of Albamar..mid fæu men &..flemden þe king æt te Standard. 1297R. Glouc. (Rolls) 6175 Edmond diȝte is stondard ware he ssolde him sulue abide. 13..K. Alis. 2377 (Laud MS.), To ymagu hij turneden pas þer þe kynges standarde was. 1338R. Brunne Chron. (1725) 115 Þise men lift ther standard, that stoute was & grim Ageyn Dauid wandelard, & disconfite him. c1425? Lydg. Assembly of Gods 825 All these seuyn capteynes had standardes of pryce. 1483Cath. Angl. 359/1 A Sstanderd or A bekyn, statela. a1548Hall Chron., Hen. V, 64 b, Banners, standers and penons of the kynges armes. 1588Parke tr. Mendoza's Hist. China 165 A watch towre..who had discouered our shippe, and knew the standard or flagge to bee the kings. 1594Shakes. Rich. III, v. iii. 263 Then in the name of God and all these rights, Aduance your Standards, draw your willing Swords. 1609Holland Amm. Marcell. xv. vii. 43 An high banke above which stood the maine standerds of Eagles and other ensignes. 1609Bible (Douay) Jer. vi. 1 In Thecua sownd with the trumpet, and over Bethacarem lift up the standart. 1611Bible Num. ii. 3. 1630 R. Johnson's Kingd. & Commw. 314 Every Citie hath his principall Standard, with their peculiar armes and devices therein, to distinguish one people from another. 1633T. Stafford Pac. Hib. ii. xxv. 252 The Burgesses..came to the Lord President, to beseech him to render unto them their Charter, Seale, Mace, and Standard. 1656Earl of Monmouth tr. Boccalini's Advts. fr. Parnass. i. lxxxv. (1674) 112 Francisco Pico..was made Standard-bearer; and, in his Standard-General, bore the famous Ensign of an open Book. 1660Waterhouse Arms & Arm. 45 Vexilla properly signifies the Standers of Kings and Chiefs. 1737Pope Hor. Ep. ii. ii. 41 He..Tore down a Standard, took the Fort and all. 1781Cowper Table T. 454 The standards of all nations are unfurl'd. 1804Med. Jrnl. XII. 46 The late dispute respecting the capture of the standard of the Invincibles before Alexandria. 1808Pike Sources Mississ. ii. App. 23 They gave up the Spanish flag, and we had the pleasure to see the American Standard hoisted in its stead. 1831–3E. Burton Eccl. Hist. xxx. (1845) 643 From this time the imperial standards bore a device, which was composed of the two first letters of the name of Christ in Greek. 1864Pusey Lect. Daniel (1876) 114 The black eagle is the standard of Prussia. 1891Farrar Darkn. & Dawn iii, The tents and standards of the soldiers had been struck with fire from heaven.
transf.1761Ann. Reg., Char. 8/2 Every raja..appears..mounted on an elephant, and is at once the general and ensign, or standard of that corps, who keep their eyes constantly on him.
b. In many phrases used with pregnant sense, the standard being taken as typifying the army or its leaders; e.g. to raise one's standard, take up arms; under the standard of, serving in the army of; so to join the standard of; and the like.
c1500Melusine xxiv. 164 Your vassall & seruaunt shal I euer be vnder the standart of your gouernance. 1667Milton P.L. vii. 297 As Armies at the call Of Trumpet..Troop to their Standard. 1697Dryden Virg. Georg. iv. 102 With hoarse allarms the hollow Camp rebounds,..Then to their common Standard they repair. 1738Glover Leonidas i. 155 They with dread Will shrink before your standards. 1838–43Arnold Hist. Rome II. xxxvii. 481 All the nations of southern Italy were ready to join his standard. 1840Thirlwall Greece VII. lvii. 241 In a short time he..had a body of more than 2000 horse under his standard. 1842W. C. Taylor Anc. Hist. xvii. §2 (ed. 3) 500 Wearied by the tyranny of Domitian, Lucius Antonius..raised the standard of revolt in his province. 1845James Arrah Neil vi, He would raise his standard at once, and march to London. 1852Sir J. Graham in C. S. Parker Life & Lett. (1907) II. 149 The rival camps under hostile standards will thus be pitched.
c. fig.
1532More Confut. Tindale ii. 105 Some that were heretyques in dede, and wolde..auaunce theyr owne heresyes forwarde vnder the name and standard of his [Origen's] famouse authoryte. 1613Purchas Pilgrimage (1614) 87 No crueltie or sacriledge against God, or man, so irreligious..but Religion was pretended to be the cause, and bare the Standard to Destruction. 1688Jas. II in Gutch Coll. Cur. I. 339, I tell you this is a Standard of Rebellion: I never saw such an address! 1856N. Brit. Rev. XXVI. 250 [They] if they did not vote against him, at least deserted their standard, and did not vote at all. 1888Bryce Amer. Commw. II. lxx. 566 The gain of even twenty or thirty votes..is so likely to bring fresh recruits to his standard.
2. a. In a more restricted sense, a military or naval flag of some particular kind.
Ordinarily, the standard is understood to be distinguished from a banner by being long and tapering instead of square, and from a pennon by its greater breadth. The British royal standard, however, which is flown when the king or a member of the royal family is present, is now a square flag (thus technically a ‘banner’), divided into four compartments bearing the emblems of England (twice), Scotland, and Ireland. In the British army, the regimental flags of the cavalry are called standards, those of the infantry being ‘colours’. In the U.S. army the flag of a cavalry regiment is called its standard.
1375Barbour Bruce xi. 465 Thai saw so fele browdyn baneris, Standartis, pennownys apon speris. 1471Caxton Recuyell (Sommer) 199 And than made dysplaye banyers, standardes & penons. 1523Ld. Berners Froiss. I. xviii. 22 Euery man mounted, and the baners and standers folowed this new made knyght. a1548Hall Chron., Hen. VII 53 b, Barges garnished with standardes, stremers and penons. a1577Sir T. Smith Commw. Eng. i. xviii. (1589) 33 Knights bannerets are made in the field, with the ceremonie of cutting off the poynt of his standert, and making it as it were a baner. 1644[Walsingham] Effigies True Fortitude 12 His Majesties Banner Royall, vulgarly called the Standard. 1700Tyrrell Hist. Eng. II. 765 The Victors carried off his Standard Royal. 1811Regul. & Orders Army 11 A Field Marshal is to be saluted with the Colours and Standards of all the Forces. 1814Wellington in Gurw. Desp. (1838) XII. 75 A request..that the brigade of cavalry consisting of the 5th dragoon guards, and 3rd and 4th dragoons..should be permitted to bear the word ‘Salamanca’ on their Standards. c1860H. Stuart Seaman's Catech. 12 Who attends the standard? 1868Queen's Regul. Army §6 The Standards of Regiments of Dragoon Guards are to be of silk damask.
†b. In certain occasional uses. standard of trade: a merchant ensign. standard of truce: a flag of truce hoisted on a pole. Obs.
1449Paston Lett. I. 85 Then they lonchyd a bote, and sette up a stondert of truesse. 1653H. Cogan tr. Pinto's Trav. xvii. 59 A Standart of Trade hung out..to the end they might be taken for Merchants.
3. = standard-bearer.
13..K. Alis. 1995 Sendith Ymagu, youre standard, And Archilaus in the furst ward! c1400Sowdone Bab. 2717 ‘Go forth’ quod the stondart, ‘thou getist noon here’. 1481Caxton Godfrey xcix. 150 Theyr estandart had ben longe seke by thoccasion of his hurte. 1610Shakes. Temp. iii. ii. 19 Thou shalt bee my Lieutenant Monster, or my Standard. 1796Cavalry Instr. (1813) 14 The standard must take care never to oblige the wheeling man to exceed a moderate gallop. 1832Prop. Reg. Instr. Cavalry iii. 101 The Standard and his Coverer resume their posts.
†4. A body of troops kept in reserve in the earlier part of an engagement. Obs.
1297R. Glouc. (Rolls) 8252 Þes tueye adde þe meste ost, þat as standard was þere Vor to helpe hor felawes, wanne hii weri were.
†5. A company of cavalry. Obs.
1580Hollyband Treas. Fr. Tong, Vne Cornette de chevalliers, a cornet or standard of horsemen. 1678Lond. Gaz. No. 1313/3 The French have received a reinforcement of 15 Standards.
†6. Head-quarters. Obs.
1481Caxton Myrr. ii. xviii. 106 There [in helle] deth holdeth his standard whiche sendeth out thurgh all the world for to fetche them that ben his.
7. Bot. The uppermost petal of a papilionaceous corolla: = vexillum.
1776J. Lee Introd. Bot. (ed. 3) 396 Papilionacea, butterfly-shaped... Vexillum, the Standard, or upper Petal ascending. 1785Martyn Lett. Bot. iii. (1794) 35 A large petal, covering the others, and occupying the upper part of the corolla [of a pea-blossom]; it is called the standard or banner. 1806J. Galpine Brit. Bot. 329 Legumes sessile..: standard villous. 1870Hooker Stud. Flora 103 Lathyrus hirsutus..Flowers ½ in.; standard crimson.
8. Ornith. Each of the two lengthened wing-feathers characteristic of certain birds. Cf. standard-wing.
1859G. R. Gray in Proc. Zool. Soc. xxvii. 130 It has, springing from the lesser coverts of each wing, two long shafts, both of which are webbed on each side at the apex. It is the possession of these peculiar winged standards that induces me to propose for it the subgeneric appellation of Semioptera. 1862― in Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist. Ser. iii. X. 445 The ninth feather (or, as it has been termed, ‘standard feather’) is the longest of all. 1864P. L. Sclater in Ibis VI. 115 The long ‘standard feather’. 1903W. L. Sclater Stark's Birds S. Africa III. 42 The ninth [primary] is prolonged to about three times the length of the first and forms the so-called streamer or standard.
II. Exemplar of measure or weight.
9. a. The authorized exemplar of a unit of measure or weight; e.g. a measuring rod of unit length; a vessel of unit capacity, or a mass of metal of unit weight, preserved in the custody of public officers as a permanent evidence of the legally prescribed magnitude of the unit.
original standard: the standard of which the others are copies, and to which the ultimate appeal must be made.
1429Rolls of Parlt. IV. 349/1 Weiȝtis..acordant to ye standard of ye Chekier. c1450Eng. Misc. (Surtees) 61 The sayd Burgese schall haffe y⊇ standard, that is to say, the buschell, halff a buschell [etc.]{ddd}the qwhyche mesures schuld agre with the kynges standard. 1530Palsgr. 276/2 Stondart to mesure bye, maistresse mesure. 1588W. Lambarde Eiren. iv. iv. 456 If they of the towne where the kings Standerd is appointed to remaine, haue not their common weights and measures signed. 1622Bacon Hen. VII 101 There was also a Statute, for the dispersing of the Standard of the Exchequor, throughout England; thereby to size Weights and Measures. 1624Massinger Renegado iii. iv, Let but any Indifferent gamester measure vs inch, by inch, Or waigh vs by the standard, I may passe I haue beene prou'd againe, true mettall. 1658Phillips, Standard..also the standing measure of the King, or State, to which all other measures are framed. 1681Peace & Truth 7 'Tis equally Treason to serve a Usurper, and to Usurp the Regalities of the Lawful Prince by forging new Standards of Commerce. 1694J. Smith Horolog. Disquisit. 45 A Royal Pendulum already Rectified, for a Standard to Adjust other Clocks by. 1728Chambers Cycl. s.v. Measure, The sealed Gallon at Guildhall, which is the Standard for Wines, Spirits, Oils, &c. 1774Burn Poor Laws 244 The statute for ascertaining the measure of ale quarts and pints according to the standard, is seldom put in execution. 1856W. H. Miller in Phil. Trans. CXLVI. 753 History of the Standards of English Weight. 1870Pall Mall Gaz. 2 Sept. 5 The annual report of the Warden of the Standards lately issued. 1871C. Davies Metric System iii. 101 These standards were kept in the royal exchequer.
fig.1736Butler Anal. ii. viii. 399 An original standard of right and wrong in actions.
b. In abstract sense: The legal magnitude of a unit of measure or weight.
1540Act 32 Hen. VIII, c. 13 §2 Euery handfull to contein .iiii. inches of the standerde. 1609Ev. Wom. in Hum. i. C, Citty wife. I haue a Ruffe is a quarter deepe, measured by the yard. Hostis. Indeede by the yard! Citty w. By the standard.
c. A normal uniform size or amount; a prescribed minimum size or amount.
1625Bacon Ess., Greatness Kingd. (Arb.) 477 Making Farmes, and houses of Husbandry, of a Standard; That is, maintained with such a Proportion of Land vnto them, as may breed a Subiect, to liue in Conuenient Plenty. 1694Falle Jersey ii. 68 Almost all our Trees are Pollards;..The Husbandman being obliged to bring his Trees to a Standard, by Lopping of those..Luxuriant branches which..would cover his little Plots.
†d. A unit of measurement. Obs. rare.
1646Sir T. Browne Pseud. Ep. vi. iii. 284 As for the divisions of the yeare, and the quartering out this remarkable standard of time, there have passed especially two distinctions. 1830Herschel Study Nat. Phil. 125 As a first preliminary towards effecting this, we fix on convenient standards of weight, dimension, time, &c.
¶e. Sometimes misused for: Actual stature.
1833J. Nyren Yng. Cricketer's Tutor (1902) 135 John was a stoutly-made man; his standard about five feet ten inches.
f. The substance or thing which is chosen to afford the unit measure of any physical quantity, such as specific gravity.
1805R. Jameson Char. Min. (1817) 266 Water is the standard with which all other bodies are compared. 1815J. Smith Panorama Sci. & Art II. 486 Water..is employed as the standard of comparison in all tables of specific gravities. 1869C. H. Gill Chem. for Sch. xxii. 274 Dalton..adopted it [sc. hydrogen] as the unit or standard of atomic weight.
g. Bowls. A light reed or cane used to measure the distance of rival bowls from the jack.
1876Encycl. Brit. IV. 180/2. 1897 Encycl. Sport I. 129/2.
10. a. (Originally fig. from 9.) An authoritative or recognized exemplar of correctness, perfection, or some definite degree of any quality.
1477Norton Ord. Alch. Proem., in Ashm. (1652) 9 This Boke; Named of Alkimy the Ordinall, The Crede mihi, the Standard perpetuall. 1665Boyle Occas. Refl. v. v. (1848) 316 Men will be asham'd to be unlike those, whose Customs and Deportments pass for the Standards, by which those of other Men are to be measur'd. 1676Hale Contempl. i. 304 He was exhibited, as the common standard and pattern of a Christian's condition. 1691T. H[ale] Acc. New Invent. p. cvii, These Draughts of the Rivers serving as the Standards by which all future Enlargements or Diminutions..may be guided. 1709Felton Diss. Classics (1718) 147 Among the Romans, Horace is the Standard of Lyric, and Virgil of Epic Poetry. 1710Caldwell Papers (Maitl. Club) I. 219 They [at Hanover] believe themselves a standart that mankind should be guided by. 1742West Let. in Gray's Poems (1775) 136 [Racine's] language is the language of the times, and that of the purest sort; so that his French is reckoned a standard. 1777Sir W. Jones Poems, etc. Pref. 14 We always return to the writings of the ancients, as the standard of true taste. 1789Mrs. Piozzi Journ. France II. 139 Let us learn better than to set up self, whether nation or individual, as a standard to which all others must be reduced. 1838–9Hallam Hist. Lit. IV. iv. vii. §11. 299 The Academy rendered this dictionary the most received standard of the French language.
b. A rule, principle, or means of judgement or estimation; a criterion, measure. Also double standard: see double a. 6.
1563Winzet Bk. 83 Quest. Wks. (S.T.S.) I. 53 At Pasche..thai..ministrate the sacraments til ws on the Catholik manere; and be Witsonday thai change thair standart in our plane contrare. 1673Dryden Amboyna Ep. Ded. A 3 b, You have serv'd Him..: making His Greatness, and the true Interest of your Country, the standard and measure of your actions. 1681― Abs. & Achit. 785 Nor is the people's judgment always true:..What standard is there in a fickle rout, Which, flowing to the mark, runs faster out? 1779Mirror No. 30 ⁋8 Let them [the inexperienced] not believe that the scale of fortune is the standard of happiness. 1781Gibbon Decl. & F. xx. (1787) II. 201 Personal interest is often the standard of our belief, as well as of our practice. 1790Burke Fr. Rev. 61 The degree of estimation in which any profession is held becomes the standard of the estimation in which the professors hold themselves. 1836J. Gilbert Chr. Atonem. ii. (1852) 37 Without a prior standard somewhere presupposed, who shall ascertain the quality of what is willed? 1837Lockhart Scott II. iii. 86 Scott had by no means measured..the character..of great public functionaries, by the standard with which observation and experience subsequently furnished him. 1888Bryce Amer. Commw. I. x. 126 The English reader must be cautioned against applying his English standards to the examination of the American system.
c. pl. The books or documents accepted by a church as the authoritative statement of its creed. Hence occas. in sing.
1841Penny Cycl. XXI. 175/1 All the divisions of the Seceders..agree in adopting as their standards, in addition to the Westminster Confession of Faith [certain works of their founders]. 1848G. Struthers Hist. Relief Ch. 293 These considerations..induced them simply to proclaim their adherence to the Westminster standards. 1881J. Macpherson Westm. Confess. of Faith (1882) 1 A Confession of Faith..is accepted by members of churches acknowledging it, simply as a subordinate standard.
11. a. Legal rate of intrinsic value for coins; also, the prescribed degree of fineness for gold or silver.
1463Ir. Acts, 3 Edw. IV, c. 32 Forasmuche as the said moneis of silver may not continually be made according to his right estandert. 1551Sir J. Williams Accompte (Abbotsf. Club) 91 Golde..coyned into crownes of vs a pece, according to the standerde apperteyninge to the mynte. 1568Grafton Chron. II. 121 At thys tyme was vsed to be coyned that standard and finenesse that was called sterling money. 1601in Stafford's Pac. Hib. ii. iv. (1633) 149 Being meerely dependant of our Prerogatiue to alter the Standerd of our Moneys at our pleasure. 1638Charter Goldsm. Co. in A. Ryland Assay Gold & Silver (1852) 28 The standards for gold are 22 and 18 carats of pure metal in every ounce... The coinage is of the higher standard... The lower standard is used for all manufacturing purposes... The standards for silver are 11 oz. 10 dwt., and 11 oz. 2 dwt. of pure metal in every pound troy... The higher standard is never used. 1691Locke Consid. Raising Value Money Wks. 1714 II. 68 That precise Weight and Fineness, by Law appropriated to the Pieces of each Denomination, is called the Standard. a1700Evelyn Diary 19 Sept. 1683, He said it must be finer than the standard, such as was old angel gold. 1702Lond. Gaz. No. 3863/4 Lost.., a wrought Silver-Candlestick, old Standard. 1722De Foe Col. Jack (1840) 78 Good tower standard. 1757Harris Money & Coins 36 Trade requires..an indelible standard of money. 1772–3Act 13 Geo. III, c. 52 §4 Plate, being of the standard of eleven ounces ten pennyweight of fine silver per pound troy [shall be marked with] the figure of..Britannia.
fig.1672Marvell Reh. Transp. i. 271 The wit of France and England..hath at all times gone much after the same current Rate and Standard.
b. (Originally, † standard of commerce.) A commodity, the value of which is treated as invariable, in order that it may serve as a measure of value for all other commodities.
1683Brit. Spec. 47 Some one or other Commodity was every where found out to be the Standard of Commerce and Traffick. 1757Harris Money & Coins 84 In these parts of the world, silver is, and time immemorial hath been, the money standard. 1776Adam Smith W.N. i. v. 43 Labour..is..the only standard by which we can compare the values of different commodities at all times and at all places. 1825McCulloch Pol. Econ. i. 25 Having been used..as standards whereby to measure the relative value of different commodities.
12. a. A definite level of excellence, attainment, wealth, or the like, or a definite degree of any quality, viewed as a prescribed object of endeavour or as the measure of what is adequate for some purpose.
standard of living, life, comfort: the view prevailing in a community or class with regard to the minimum of material comfort with which it is reasonable to be content.
1711Shaftesbury Charact. (1732) III. 138 'Twas thus they [the Greeks] brought their beautiful and comprehensive Language to a just Standard... The Standard was in the same proportion carry'd into other Arts. 1748W. Melmoth Fitzosborne Lett. lvii. (1749) II. 86 For may not publick happiness be estimated by the same standard as that of private? 1766Fordyce Serm. Young Women (1767) I. i. 11 Act up to the best standard of your sex. 1780Mirror No. 79 ⁋18 We are told that those manners should be painted, not as they are found in nature, but according to an ideal standard of perfection in what is called the golden age. c1800Pegge Anecd. Eng. Lang. (1803) 38 During his translation of Quintus Curtius..it [sc. the French language] had varied so much that he was obliged to correct the former part of the work to bring it to the standard of the other. 1827Lytton Falkland i. 45 Neither in person nor in character was he much beneath or above the ordinary standard of men. 1879A. & M. P. Marshall Econ. Industry II. vii. 102 The Standard of Comfort which young people are prudent enough to secure for themselves before they marry, varies from place to place and from time to time. 1898B. Bosanquet (title) Standard of life, and other studies. 1903A. McNeill Egregious English xx. 186 The standard of living in England is an..artificial standard. Practically every Englishman lives, or longs to live, beyond his means. 1907G. B. Shaw John Bull's Other Island ii. 41 He guesses Broadbent's standard of comfort a little more accurately than his sister does. 1936J. M. Keynes Gen. Theory Employment, Interest & Money xvi. 218 The position of equilibrium, under conditions of laissez-faire, will be one in which employment is low enough and the standard of life sufficiently miserable to bring savings to zero.
b. In British and Commonwealth elementary schools: Each of the recognized degrees of proficiency, as tested by examination, according to which school children may be classified. Also transf., the form or class in which pupils are prepared for a particular standard.
The sixth used to be the highest standard which children were ordinarily required to pass, the seventh being intended mainly for those who were to become teachers.
1876Lubbock Elementary Educ. in Contemp. Rev. June 79 The classes from which the children are examined in Standards II–VI. 1878F. Kilvert Jrnl. 16 Jan. (1977) 300 Gave the upper standards at the school questions on paper on the Catechism. 1894Times 22 Mar. 4/6 He..was in the class of which defendant was teacher—viz., the seventh standard. 1899Allbutt's Syst. Med. VIII. 204 In some schools there is a standard 0..for dull or backward children. 1902V. Jacob Sheep-Stealers xv, When the village urchins are still wrestling with the fourth ‘standard’. 1934G. B. Shaw On Rocks Pref. 168 The likeliest outcome is an elaborate creed of useful illusions, to be discarded bit by bit as the child is promoted from standard to standard or from form to form. 1966C. Achebe Man of People i. 2 Sixteen years or so he had been my teacher in standard three.
attrib.1891Hardy Tess xix, She was expressing in her own native phrases—assisted a little by her Sixth Standard training—feelings which [etc.]. 1903A. McNeill Egregious English i. 9 Nature, like the seventh-standard boy in a board school, ‘can get no higher’. 1915D. H. Lawrence Rainbow xiii. 353 She made friends with the Standard Three teacher. 1973Express (Trinidad & Tobago) 17 Mar. 7/1 He left Trinidad a Seventh standard pupil of the St. Helena C.M. School.
c. Sporting. (See quot.)
1897Encycl. Sport I. 62/2 (Athletics) Standard, the time or distance assigned to each event at a championship meeting, by beating which a competitor becomes entitled to a medal.
13.
†a. Some fixed numerical quantity. (? A quarter hundred, 25.) Obs.
1545Rates Custom Ho. b vj, Knyues of collayne the groce xxx. s. Knyues of roue the standerde v. s.
b. A definite quantity of timber, differing in different countries. (Cf. standard deal, B. 1 c.)
1858Simmonds Dict. Trade, Standard,..a solid measure by which hewn timber is estimated, varying in different timber countries. 1864Daily Tel. 17 Aug., A ‘Petersburgh Standard’..consists of 120 deals of 12 feet long by 11 inches wide and 1½ inch thick. [This = 165 cubic feet.] 1891Law Times XCI. 192/2 The vessel contained about 1000 standards... A standard was 165 cubic feet of timber.
†14. A kind of arrow (distinguished from ‘bearing arrow’ and ‘flight’). Obs.
Perh. short for ‘standard arrow’, which occurs in later citations of 16th c. documents. See quot. 1465.[1465Ir. Acts, 5 Edw. IV, c. 4 (1786) I. 29 It is ordeyned..That every Englishman..shall have an English bow..with twelve shafts of the length of three quarters of the standard.] 1557City of Lond. Jrnl. 17 lf. 46 in Vicary's Anat. (1888) App. iii. 177–8 Who will comme..and take a longe bowe in his hande—having the standarde therin therefore prouyded,..shall haue for the best game a Crown of golde... And for the best game of the bearing arrowe, he shall haue [etc.]... And for the best game of the flight, he shall haue [etc.]... And..there shalbe a trumpett blowen at euerye shott, aswell of the standarde, as of the arrowe or flight. 1598Stow Surv. Lond. 77 Of old time..the Officers of the Citie..were challengers of all men..to shoote the Standarde, broade arrow, and flight, for games. [1682W. M. (W. Wood) Remembr. Show & Shooting, 1583, 51 Then came the Duke..bearing a Standard Arrow in his hand.] 15. The market price per ton of copper in the ore.
1855Leifchild Cornwall 233 The term ‘standard of copper’..denotes the estimated value of the fine copper per ton, considered from the various assays to be in the ores sold; less a fixed sum per ton..deducted for the cost of smelting... When I began this book the standard of copper was {pstlg}125, 5s., but it has since varied considerably. 1913Times 13 Sept. 18/5 London, Sept. 12.—Copper... Standard continued its advance on Monday.
16. Short for:
a. standard book (see standard a. 3 b);
1889Amer. Publ. Weekly 30 Mar. 462 The old-fashioned book-store, with its supply of standards on the shelves tempting a customer to increase his library.
b. (Dyeing) standard solution (see standard a. 1 b).
1882Crookes Dyeing & Tissue-Printing 379 A set of so⁓called ‘standards’. These are mixtures of colouring matters and mordants not liable to undergo change or decomposition, and which merely require the addition of a thickener..to be ready for printing.
c. standard lamp, sense 30.
1910H. G. Wells New Machiavelli iii. iii, in English Rev. Sept. 292 The light of the big electric standard in the corner. 1939O. Lancaster Homes, Sweet Homes 10 All over Europe the lights are going out..olde Tudor lanthorns, standards and wall-brackets. 1974M. Ingate Sound of Weir ix. 74 Tall lamps, ‘they're Standards,’ said Iris, had large coloured shades.
d. A standard form of a language (see standard a. 3 e). Modified (also Received) Standard: see the first element.
1913Mod. Lang. Teaching Dec. 262/2 While within the London sphere of influence..Received Standard goes on quite gaily, the London type of Modified Standard has won the day in this area, among those sections of the community who might otherwise speak a Kentish..or Surrey type of Modified Standard. 1972Hartmann & Stork Dict. Lang. & Linguistics 218/1 Deviations from the respective established standards are called non-standard or sub-standard.
III. Senses associated with the verb stand.
†17. A lofty erection of timber or stone, containing a vertical conduit pipe with spouts and taps, for the supply of water to the public. Obs.
‘The Standard in Cornhill’ continued as the name of a point from which distances were measured, long after the ‘standard’ had disappeared.
1434Cov. Leet Bk. 157 Þat þe stondard of þe cundyte in þe Smythford-strete..shall not be doon awaye. 1517Chron. Grey Friars (Camden) 30 At the stondert in Cheppe. 1580Memoriall W. Lumbe c ij, A standart with one cocke at Holborne bridge. 1598Stow Surv. Lond. 316 A standard of timber with a cocke or cockes, deliuering fayre spring water to the inhabitants. 1616B. Jonson Devil an Ass i. i, I will fetch thee a leape From the top of Pauls-steeple, to the Standard in Cheepe. 1665Sir T. Herbert Trav. (1677) 164 Towers, most of which are terrassed near the top like the Standard in Cheap-side. 1854Thackeray Newcomes ii, This paradise, five miles from the standard at Cornhill.
18. a. A tall candlestick. Now spec. a tall candlestick (or, in recent use, an upright gas candelabrum) rising directly from the floor of a church.
a1420Aunters of Arthur 451 (Thornton MS.) Sythene he..clathes gune calle, Sanapes and salers..Preketes and broketes, and standertes [Douce stondardes, Irel. stondartis] by-twene. 1488in Archæologia XLV. 116 A payre of Candelstyckks, greate standards for grete tapers, of tynne. 1538Ibid. XLIII. 218, ij greate standers of laten; ij lampes. 1553in Daniel-Tyssen Surrey Ch. Goods (1869) 97 Item ij stondardes of lattyn. 1605R. Treswell Journ. Earl Nottingham 51 The roome was garnished with three hundred and twenty lights of wax, al set in standerds of siluer, of diuers fashions. 1851Pugin Chancel Screens 23 This screen is surmounted by standards for wax tapers. 1860Ecclesiologist XXI. 72 The church is lighted with brass gas standards.
†b. (See quot.) Cf. OF. estandart, a kind of torch. Obs.
1611Florio, Doppione, a great torch of waxe, which we call a standard or a quarrier.
19. a. An upright timber, bar, or rod; e.g. † a tall pole erected for display on an occasion of rejoicing or festivity (obs.); an upright scaffold pole; an upright bar for a window; an upright support or pedestal in various machines. In recent use often, a slender and lofty iron pillar carrying an electric or gas lamp, overhead electric wires, or the like.
c1450Brut 487 At the Ledenhall in Cornhill..a standard of tre was set in myddys of the pavement fast in the grounde, nayled with holme and Ive, for disport of Cristmasse to þe peple of the Cite. 1477–9Rec. St. Mary at Hill (1905) 85 For xxv foote of Elmyn borde, for steppes and standardis for the same steyre, vj d. 1486Nottingham Rec. III. 257 To ij. sawers for sawyng of þe standerdes of the chymney. 1502Privy Purse Exp. Eliz. York (1830) 25 Item..to John Coneway smyth for foure transoms and xij standardes. c1580in Fabric Rolls York Minster (Surtees) 118 For helping to carry into the wryghte housse standerdes, powles and boordes. 1587L. Mascall Cattle (1596) 72 Their standarts and posts to fasten them [oxen] by, would be round and smooth. 1609Holland Amm. Marcell. xxiii. iii. 222 Whereupon the standard [of a ballista: L. stilus] being now at libertie with that quicke stroke..hurleth out the stone. 1627in Maitl. Club Misc. III. 369 note, For gilting the Cok and thanis and culloring of the same yallow with the glob and standart and stanes above the steiple heid. 1703Moxon Mech. Exerc. 251 Fir Poles, of several lengths for Standards and Ledgers for Scaffolding. 1813Gentl. Mag. LXXXIII. 227/2 The pyramidal iron lamp standards in the outer court. 1823P. Nicholson Pract. Build. 593 Standards; the upright poles used in scaffolding. In joinery, the upright pieces of a plate-rack. 1839Ure Dict. Arts 268 An apparatus with cutters attached to a standard. 1840F. Whishaw Railw. Gt. Brit. & Irel. 128 The mile-standards are of wood,..and are placed at intervals of a quarter of a mile. Ibid. 391 The distances are marked from either end of the line on stone standards. 1856Hurlstone & Gordon Exch. Rep. XI. 183 The wires..for the..use of the railway company rest upon all the posts or standards in the respondent's township. 1869Rankine Machine & Hand-tools Pl. D 5, The same turning table also carries the standard, F, which supports the main gearing. 1883Law Times Rep. XLIX. 139/1 The scaffolding in front was constructed of five standards or uprights and one ledger. 1885Act 48 & 49 Vict. c. 50 §4 (iv), The purchase and erection of lamp standards. 1892Labour Commission Gloss., Standards, two standards, i.e., two wooden legs with feet, which are often used instead of four legs to support the top frame of a table. 1907H. Wyndham Flare of Footlights xxxiii, At intervals [along the Embankment] rose the tall standards of the electric lights.
b. Naut. An inverted knee-timber, having the vertical portion turned upwards.
1748Anson's Voy. ii. iv. 158 Two standards were broken. 1750T. R. Blanckley Nav. Expositor, Standards are a Sort of Knees fay'd from the Deck to the Sides of the Ship within-board, to strengthen her in the same Manner as Knees, but are bigger. 1769Falconer Dict. Marine (1780) s.v. Architecture D, The standard of the head which fastens it to the stem. 1874Thearle Naval Archit. iii. xiii. 222 Standards are knees for connecting the stern posts to the deck beams of screw ships... Standards were fitted in sailing ships connecting the fore side of inner post with the after end of the keelson.
†c. Coach-building. ? Each of the four corner posts of a coach. Obs.
1669Pepys Diary 26 Apr., I..do resolve upon having the standards of my coach gilt with this new sort of varnish. Ibid. 1 May, We went alone through the town with our new liveries..and the standards thus gilt with varnish.
d. In a plough: = sheath n.4
1652W. Blithe Eng. Improver Impr. ii. xxix. (1653) 205 By a Standard put into the end of it [sc. the plough-beam]. 1727R. Bradley Compl. Body Husb. 43 in Compl. Farmer (1766) s.v. Plough, CC are the sheaths or standards.
e. Figure-weaving. (See quot.)
1831G. R. Porter Silk Manuf. 284 The leaves [of heddles in a gauze loom] numbered 1 and 2 which are called standards.
f. (See quot.)
1866J. H. Parker Concise Gloss. Terms Archit. 251 Standard..was also applied to the ends of the oak benches in churches, and that is the common use of the term now.
20. a. Forestry. A tree or shoot from a stump left standing when a coppice is cut down.
1473Sir J. Paston in P. Lett. III. 86 That the standardes off suche mesur as he and I comonyd off maye also be reservyd. I suppose it was xxx. inche, abowt a yerde from the grownde. 1577B. Googe Heresbach's Husb. ii. (1586) 95 b, I sette them on the outside of my Orchard, as standards to defend their fellowes from tempest and weather. 1669Worlidge Syst. Agric. vi. 94 Felling of Coppices... Trimming up such as you spare for standards, as you go. 1677Plot Oxfordsh. 206 That ancient Standard in the high-Park, known of all by the name of the Kings Oak. 1799J. Robertson Agric. Perth 238 If the advantage of the copse alone is attended to, no standard should be left, except such seedlings as appear necessary to renew the stocks. 1832Planting 91 in Husbandry (Libr. Usef. Knowl.) III, Standard.—The shoots of a coppice stool, selected from those cut down as underwood to remain for large poles or timber-trees.
transf.1778W. H. Marshall Minutes Agric. 31 July 1775, This pulled up the running weeds; the standards left, were readily drawn by hand.
b. Gardening. A tree or shrub growing on an erect stem of full height, not dwarfed or trained on a wall or espalier.
1625Bacon Ess., Gardens (Arb.) 562 Part of which Heapes, to be with Standards, of little Bushes, prickt upon their Top... The Standards to be Roses; Iuniper; Holly [etc.]. 1685Temple Gardening Wks. 1770 III. 218 [Gardens] part laid out for flowers, others for fruits; some standards, some against walls or palisadoes. 1688Holme Armoury ii. 86/2 Standards are trees standing of themselves, not on Wall sides. 1713Guardian No. 173 (1756) II. 359 The trees, which were standards, and suffered to grow to their full height. 1846Baxter Libr. Pract. Agric. (ed. 4) I. 261 The fig-tree may be grown either as a standard, espalier, or against a wall. 1903Q. Rev. Oct. 400 The only material difference between the experiments on dwarfs and standards respectively is that [etc.].
†21. A kind of collar of mail or plate armour. Obs. exc. Hist.
[1371–3Acc. Exch. K.R. 397/10 m. 3 Cxliiij standardis pro loricis.] 1465Will of T. Packet in Fairholt's Costume (1885) II. 379 A standard of gesserant garnesshed with silver. 1465Marg. Paston in P. Lett. II. 190 Sertyn harnys... Inprimis;..a standard of mayle [etc.]. c1490in 5th Rep. Hist. MSS. Comm. 445/1 Fower standardys with two gossetts of mayl. 1530Palsgr. 275/2 Standart of mayle, gorgerin. 1885Fairholt's Costume (ed. 3) I. 205 [On monuments 1391 and 1412] the camail is replaced by, or covered over with, a standard of plate.
†22. Some kind of service-book. Obs.
c1400in Fabric Rolls York Minster (Surtees) 244 Super librum vocatum standard. 1409Ibid. 245 Standerdes, ac eciam libri processionales, [etc.]. 1503Visit. Southwell (Camden) 71 Libri in choro vulgariter vocati le Standarths.
†23. A large packing-case or chest. Obs.
1371–3Acc. Exch. K.R. 397/10 m. 3, j. standard magn[um] ferro ligatum, vj. Ciste magne ferro ligate. 1464Inv. in T. H. Turner's Dom. Archit. (1859) III. 113 A square standarde, & covered with blaak letheir, & bowden with yrne, with 2 lokys... A grete red standerd, full of stuff... A gret standard of the chapell, bounde wth ierne, with 2 lokks. 1530Privy Purse Exp. Hen. VIII (1827) 43 For ij standardes for to cary plate fro yorke place to hampton courte. a1562G. Cavendish Wolsey (1893) 183 The kyng caused to be sent hyme iii or iiii cartloods of stuffe, and most parte thereof was lokked in great standerds. 1663Cheque Bk. Chapel Royal (Camden) 83 The Sergeant shall..deliver the Gentlemen their surplices out of the standard. Ibid. 93 Item, three standards, whereof one is for the song books of our sayd Chapell.
†24. Coining. ? = pile n.4 1. Obs.
1473Chancery Enrolments, Durham 3/49 m. 6 (P.R.O.), We..haue..licencid..William Omorighe..to make graue and prynte ij dosene Trussellys and j dosene Standerdys for penys and .iiij. Standerdys and viiij. Trussellys for half penys. 1477Ibid. 3/52 m. 4 (P.R.O.), To make..iij. dosen Trussels and .ij. dosen Standerdys for penys, and ij. dosen trussels and j. dosen Standerdys for halfpenys.
25. s.w. dial. ‘A large standing tub used for washing purposes, for containing salted meat, etc.’ (Eng. Dial. Dict.).
1535in Weaver Wells Wills (1890) 116, ii. vates, a standerde, a barell and a kole.
26.
†a. Something permanent; something that has lasted a long time. In pl., permanent or necessary furniture or apparatus (of a household, etc.). Obs.
1492Deed A. 8331 in Catal. Anc. Deeds P.R.O. (1902) IV. 292 [She to have all the goods and chattels of the said Sir William] except the stondardys of howseholde [and all his growing corn, etc.]. 1506Will J. Cornwallis in Privy Purse Exp. Eliz. York (1830) 224/2 All the brewyng vessells and standards in the brewhouse and bakehouse. 1639Fuller Holy War i. xxiii. (1640) 35 The mountains..are standards too great..for either time or warre to remove. 1650― Pisgah v. 191 So there are certain standards in all visions, being the materiall and corporall ground-work, for a spirituall flourish..to improve itself thereupon. 1655H. L'Estrange Reign K. Charles 157 The Queen was loath to proscribe so long a standard as Episcopacy, to entertain such an upstart in-mate as Presbytery.
b. One who has been long in a position; an old resident, official, servant, etc. Now only old standard (rare exc. dial.).
a1661Fuller Worthies, Gen. xi. (1662) i. 38 The Ficklenesse and Fugitivenesse of such Servants, justly addeth a valuation to their Constancy, who are Standards in a Family. 1665Wood Life (O.H.S.) II. 45 This Dr. was an old standard..and at leisure times he would entertaine A. W. with old stories relating to the universitie. 1768in 10th Rep. Hist. MSS. Comm. App. i. 410, I believe [the new Cabinet will harmonize] well.., the old standards are usefull & I think makes every office better.
c. A tune or song of established popularity, esp. in Jazz.
1937Amer. Speech XII. 184/1 Standard, a number whose popularity has withstood the test of time. 1938‘Jelly Roll’ Morton in Downbeat Aug. 31/1, I also transformed..After the Ball, Back Home in Indiana, etc., and all standards that I saw fit. 1947R. de Toledano Frontiers of Jazz p. xii, Half a dozen ancient Melrose stock arrangements of jazz standards ‘as played by King Oliver’. 1959‘F. Newton’ Jazz Scene ii. 29 The repertoire [of jazz] consists of so-called ‘standards’—themes which for one reason or another, lend themselves to profitable jazz playing. They may be drawn from any source, the traditional blues and the current popular song being the most important. 1971C. Fick Danziger Transcript 95 There was a Cuban quartet in the garden playing light standards. 1980M. Booth Bad Track v. 84 For an hour or so, the band jammed,..before going into standards that they knew and admired.
†27. Cookery. (Of somewhat obscure meaning; usually explained as ‘principal or standing dish’.)
1513Bk. Keruynge in Babees Bk. 157 For standarde, venyson roste, kydde, fawne & cony [etc.]. Ibid. 166 The seconde course. Gelly whyte and rede..samon, dorrey, brytte, turbot, halybut; for standarde, base, troute [etc.]. 1526in J. Croft Excerpta Ant. (1797) 79 Item, a Roe roasted for Standart. Ibid. 80 Item, for a Standart Cranes, two of a Dish.
†28.
a. A suit (of clothes): = stand n.1 23 a. Obs.
1630B. Jonson New Inn, Argt. ii, The Lady had commanded a standard of her owne best apparrell to bee brought downe. Ibid. ii. ii, We ha' brought a standard of apparrell, down, Because this Taylor fayld vs i' the maine.
b. ? A set (of plumes). Obs.
1578Invent. R. Wardr. (1815) 238 Foure standeris of fedderis for the toppis of beddis.
IV. attrib. and Comb.
29. Simple attrib.a. in sense 1, as standard-car, standard-flag, standard-guard, standard half-squadron, standard-pole, standard-shaft, standard-sheet, standard-spear, standard-staff.
1848W. Hemingburgh's Chronicon I. 59 note, The carroccio, or great *standard-car, is said to have been invented..in the year 1035.
1821Sporting Mag. VII. 196 When potent nature her *standard-flag rears.
1750Phil. Trans. XLVII. 6 A soldier being confin'd to a tent call'd the *standard-guard.
1796Cavalry Instr. (1813) 227 The commanding officer in the rear of the *standard half squadron.
a1700Evelyn Diary 23 Nov. 1644, The ropes and cables which support the *standard-pole.
1497Naval Acc. Hen. VII (1896) 89 *Standard shaftes.
1799Campbell Pleas. Hope ii. 180 The stormy showers..Freeze every *standard-sheet.
1825Scott Talism. xi, [He] laid his hand on the *standard-spear, as if to pluck it from the ground.
1560T. Phaer æneid ix. (1562) E e ij b, His fyriesmoking bronds on *standard-staff Mezentius shooke. 1802C. James Milit. Dict., Soc, a machine..fixed near the stirrup, to receive the end of the standard staff. 1855Kingsley Westw. Ho! xx, His left hand on the standard-staff, his sword pointed in his right.
b. in sense 9, as standard mark.
1858Simmonds Dict. Trade, Standard-mark, a legal assay mark for gold of 22 carats fine, and for silver of 11 oz. 2 dwts. 1884F. J. Britten Watch & Clockm. 116 The Standard Mark of the London Hall is a lion passant for sterling silver. 1889Gretton Memory's Harkback 73 In stature and in grasp of mind rather below standard-mark.
c. in sense 12 b.
1882S. C. Buxton in 19th Cent. Nov. 792 The standard subjects are the three R's, while the class subjects include English grammar, geography..and needlework.
30. Special comb.: standard-bred a., of horses, etc., bred up to the standard of excellence prescribed by some authority; also N. Amer. as n., a horse of this breed, developed esp. for harness racing (contrasted with thoroughbred); standard-high a., of the height of a standard shrub (see B. 6); standard lamp, a lamp with a tall standard resting on the floor (either moveable, as a lamp for domestic use, or fixed, as in churches).
1888G. W. Curtis Horses, Cattle, Sheep, & Swine x. 56 When an animal meets the requirements of admission, and is duly registered, it should be accepted as a *standard bred trotting animal. 1901Westm. Gaz. 28 Sept. 4/3 The standard-bred mare. 1948Sun (Baltimore) 20 Aug. 18/1 The standardbreds..make running horses look like sissies. 1976National Observer (U.S.) 2 Oct. 7/2, I grew up in..the western part of Illinois..and every farmer..had a standardbred, either trotter or pacer... They just tied sulky bikes to the backs of the nags and drove them around the track themselves.
1842Loudon Suburban Hort. 555 Standard cherry trees are generally budded *standard high, on free stocks of three years' growth from the seed.
1894Country Gentlemen's Catal. 115/1 Wrought Iron *Standard Lamp, with copper Oil Container, 70/-. 1900G. Swift Somerley 124 [He] came and stood with me under the light of the tall standard-lamp. 1932R. Lehmann Invitation to Waltz i. xi. 110 The light was very bright and white, coming from three brass standard lamps with white silk shades. 1980A. N. Wilson Healing Art xvi. 195 By the fireplace..gas blazed, and a standard lamp shone dimly.
B. adj. [Attributive use of the n.]
I.
1. a. Serving as a standard of measurement, weight or value; conformed to the official standard of a unit of measure or weight. Also freq. in special scientific collocations, as standard atmosphere, (a) a unit of atmospheric pressure, equal to 760 torr or 1013·25 millibars; (b) a hypothetical atmosphere with defined surface temperature and pressure and specified profile of temperature with altitude, used esp. in aviation and space research; standard cable, a unit of attenuation formerly used in telephone engineering (see quot. 1963), now replaced by the bel; standard candle, a disused unit of luminous intensity, defined as the intensity of the flame of a spermaceti candle of specified properties (see quots.), now replaced by the candela; also transf.; standard cell, any of several forms of voltaic cell designed to produce a constant and reproducible electromotive force as long as the current drawn is not too large; standard deviation: see deviation 2 d; standard error, a measure of the statistical accuracy of an estimate, equal to the standard deviation which a large population of such estimates would have; standard wire gauge, one of the series of standard thicknesses for wire and metal plates in the United Kingdom; any specific measure in this series; abbrev. s.w.g., S.W.G. s.v. S 4 a.
1622Malynes Anc. Law-Merch. 306 If it bee appointed of make a Standard peece of tenne ounces fine. 1669Beale in Phil. Trans. IV. 1113 A measure, taken exactly from the standard-foot of London. 1827Faraday Chem. Manip. iii. (1842) 67 The standard or imperial pint now to be used is larger than the wine pint. 1862H. Spencer First Princ. ii. vi. §61 (1875) 192 a, From the standard-measure preserved at Westminster, are derived the measures for trigonometrical surveys. 1870Jevons Elem. Logic xxxiii. 290 A yard or foot has no meaning unless there be a definite standard yard or foot which fixes the meaning. 1871B. Stewart Heat (ed. 2) §25 The difference between mercurial and the standard air thermometer becomes very considerable at high temperatures. 1873J. C. Maxwell Electr. & Magn. (1881) II. 322 When it is intended to measure a current [electric] with the greatest accuracy in terms of standard units, it is called a Standard Galvanometer. 1878Jevons Primer Pol. Econ. 108 In the English system of money, gold is the standard money and the legal tender. 1884Knight Dict. Mech. Suppl., Standard Battery (Electricity). One to be used as a standard, having a perfectly constant electro-motive force.
1911W. N. Shaw Forecasting Weather p. xi, The accepted normal pressure of the atmosphere, or ‘standard atmosphere’, is that of a column of mercury 76 centimetres high at the freezing-point of water under the conditions as to gravitation which are to be found in latitude 45°N. or S. 1924Official Bull. Internat. Comm. Air Navigation vii. 34 The Commission decides: To adopt the Regulations set out hereunder concerning the definition of an international standard atmosphere. 1930Meteorol. Gloss. (Met. Office) (ed. 2) 162 The International Standard Atmosphere which is used as the basis of graduation of altimeters assumes at mean sea level a temperature of 15°C., a pressure of 1,013·2 mb., and a lapse rate of 6·5°C. per kilometre from sea level up to 11 km., above which the temperature is assumed constant at - 56·5°C. 1963Jerrard & McNeill Dict. Sci. Units 130 One standard atmosphere corresponds to a barometric pressure of 29·9213 inches or 760 mm of mercury of density 13·595 g cm-3, where the acceleration due to gravity is 980·665 cm sec-2... The ICAO [sc. International Civil Aviation Organisation] standard atmosphere was introduced about 1940. 1977I. M. Campbell Energy & Atmosphere iii. 47 The origin of the rising temperature from 11 to 50 km in the standard atmosphere is the degradation of a portion of the solar irradiance to thermal energy through the agency of primary absorption by ozone.
1906J. Poole Pract. Telephone Handbk. (ed. 3) xxvi. 413 Standard Cable and Equivalents.—In the agreement entered into in February 1905 between the British Post Office and the National Telephone Co. certain standards of telephonic transmission were stipulated, and these were to be measured by comparison with the transmission results obtained with standard telephone instruments through certain lengths of standard test cable. 1924Trans. Amer. Inst. Electr. Engineers XLIII. 797/1 The ‘mile of standard cable’ has been used in telephone engineering in this country for over twenty years..as the unit for expressing the transmission efficiency of telephone circuits and apparatus. 1963Jerrard & McNeill Dict. Sci. Units 131 The unit compared the attenuation produced in the circuit under test with that in a standard cable which was defined as a theoretical cable one mile in length, resistance 88 ohms, capacitance 0·054 microfarad, inductance one millihenry and leakance 5 × 10-5 mho. The standard cable produced an attenuation of about 20% for a 800 c/s input.
1879Cassell's Techn. Educ. II. 175 The unit of calculation adopted in practice is a sperm candle one-sixth of a pound in weight and burning 120 grains per hour; this is called a ‘standard candle’, and the ‘standard burner’ in use in London is Sugg's London Argand, Number 1. 1937G. S. Monk Light v. 36 The standard candle was originally of sperm wax, weighing 1/6 lb., 7/8 in. diameter, and burning 120 grains per hr. 1959Listener 2 July 14/2 By studying the period of a Cepheid, we can..find out its real luminosity; its apparent magnitude is easy to measure, and hence its distance may be determined, so that these convenient variables act as our standard candles in space. 1976New Scientist 2 Dec. 530/1 The new finding opens the way to calibrate a new standard candle, namely, the absolute brightness of a galaxy by means of an easy measurement in radio astronomy.
1872L. Clark in Proc. R. Soc. XX. 447 We have therefore the mean value of the electromotive force of the standard-cells, as determined by the electrodynamometer, 18 observations..1·45735 Volt. 1920Whittaker's Electr. Engineer's Pocket-bk. (ed. 4) 100 The original standard cell devised by Latimer Clark is a mercury-zinc cell using zinc and mercurous sulphates as electrolyte and depolarizer respectively. 1980J. P. Bromberg Physical Chem. xvii. 315 The voltage of the unknown cell..can be determined from the calibrated slide wire and the known voltage of the standard cell.
1897G. U. Yule in Jrnl. R. Statist. Soc. LX. 821 We see that σ1√(1 - r2) is the standard error made in estimating x. 1956J. H. Burn Lect. Notes Pharmacol. (ed. 4) 129 The standard error of the mean is proportional to the standard deviation and inversely proportional to the number of animals used. 1962J. H. Kinoshita et al. in A. Pirie Lens Metabolism Rel. Cataract 409 The results are given as the mean {pm} standard error of the mean of 12 determinations.
1858J. Whitworth Misc. Papers Mech. Subjects 68 (caption) Standard wire-gauge. 1884Rep. Board of Trade on Proc. & Business Weights & Measures Act, 1878 3 in Parl. Papers XXVIII. 851 The new standard wire-guage has been adopted by the War, Admiralty, and India Departments. 1941Trans Newcomen Soc. XXI. 94 He [sc. Sir Joseph Whitworth] named it the ‘Standard Wire Gauge’; it covered a range of 38 sizes of from 0·3 in. to 0·0018 in. diam. 1963Jerrard & McNeill Dict. Sci. Units 151 The Standard Wire Gauge..classifies wire diameters in geometrical progression. 1971B. Scharf Engin. & its Lang. ix. 75 In Great Britain the main gauges are the Standard Wire Gauge (S.W.G., s.w.g.), and the Birmingham Gauge (B.G.).
b. Having the prescribed or normal size, amount, power, degree of quality, etc. Also standard costs Accountancy (see quot. 1959); freq. attrib., as standard cost card etc.; hence standard costing; standard gauge Railways: see quot. 1884; also attrib. Also in parasynthetic adj., standard-rated.
1807T. Thomson Chem. (ed. 2) 165 He calculated, that the increase of density, on mixing different quantities of standard acid and water, was [etc.]. 1813J. Thomson Lect. Inflam. 113 In hectic fever the temperature seldom rises two or three degrees above the natural or standard temperature. 1825J. Nicholson Oper. Mech. 550 The standard thickness of a brick wall is 1½ brick laid lengthwise... A rod of standard brick-work..will require 4500 bricks. 1826Art of Brewing (ed. 2) 17 To..evaporate the unnecessary quantity to a standard gravity. 1857Miller Elem. Chem., Org. 60 For the preparation of the standard copper solutions. 1878Stewart & Tait Unseen Univ. iii. §107. 120 That of boiling water under the standard pressure is 374°. 1881Chicago Times 12 Mar., A standard-gauge railroad. 1884Knight Dict. Mech. Suppl. s.v., ‘Standard gage’ means 4′ 8½{pp} between centers of rails. 1889Hardwicke's Science-Gossip XXV. 184/2 They are rectangular in shape, and are made of one standard size. 1900P. N. Hasluck Model Engin. Handybk. 43 All the small parts..would be made to some standard measurement. 1904D. J. Shackleton Sp. Ho. Comm. 23 Mar. in Hansard 553 In using the words standard rate of wages in his Resolution, he desired the House to understand that he meant the trade union rate. Ibid. 557 That this House is of opinion that the wages paid to the unskilled workers in Government factories..should be not less than the standard rate of wages. 1917W. N. Polakov in Trans. Amer. Soc. Mech. Engineers XXXVIII. 587 Carrying out the analysis of the economy limit to its logical conclusion, the standard cost of the product is arrived at. 1918G. C. Harrison in Industrial Managem. LVI. 393/2 In the ‘Standard Cost Card’ shown in Form I it will be seen that the estimated or standard cost of the bolts is $11·079 per thousand. 1921(title) Standard costing principles & practices for the plywood industry. 1935C. M. Gillespie Accounting Procedure for Standard Costs iv. 62 The structure of standard cost cards becomes complex. 1959Chambers's Encycl. I. 39/2 Two major developments in cost accounting must be briefly mentioned. Firstly the introduction of standard costing. Standard costs are estimates made in detail for operations, processes of articles on the basis of predetermined standards. 1974Terminol. Managem. & Financial Accountancy (Inst. Cost and Managem. Accountants) 15 Standard cost rate, a rate calculated by dividing the expected overhead cost attributable to a cost centre by the predetermined quantity of the base to which the rate is applied.
Comb.1972V.A.T.: Gen. Guide (H.M. Customs) 30 Where an amount payable covers both standard-rated and zero-rated goods or services, the amount must be split in fair proportion. 1977Jrnl. R. Soc. Arts CXXV. 440/1 The most sensitive systems might have legislation applied at a luxury rate whilst others could be standard rated.
c. standard deal: see quots.
1834McCulloch Dict. Comm. (ed. 2) 1150, 361/3 Russian stand[ard] deals 12 ft. long, 1½ inch thick, 11 inch broad, make 1 load timber. 1867Smyth Sailor's Word-bk., Standard-Deals, those planks of the pine or fir above 7 inches wide and 6 feet long.
d. Of bread (see quot.).
1851Mayhew Lond. Labour I. 178 Previously to 1815 bakers were restricted..to the baking of three kinds of bread—wheaten, standard wheaten, and household. The wheaten was made of the best flour, the standard wheaten of the different kinds of flour mixed together.
e. Bridge. Standard American, the commonest system of bidding in the U.S.
1961A. Sheinwold Short Cut to winning Bridge 13/1 Most of the hands in this book are bid according to the principles of ‘Standard American’. 1963H. Schenken Better Bidding i. 16 The most popular system in this country is called Standard American... They all have one thing on common with Standard American: the opening bid of one in a suit is almost unlimited. 1968Roth & Rubens Mod. Bridge Bidding p. xvi, Standard American is the most widely used although not..the best approach to bidding. 1976National Observer (U.S.) 24 July 15/3 If you are playing under Precision's rules or by agreement in Standard American and you open light.., you can pass third hand with a subminimum count.
2. Of precious metals, coins: Conforming to the legal standard of fineness or intrinsic value. Also said of value or fineness.
1677W. B. Touchst. Gold & Silver (title-p.), Discovering..how to know Adulterated Wares from those made of the True Standard Alloy. 1691Locke Consid. Raising Value Money Wks. 1714 II. 68 The Fineness of Standard Silver in England is eleven parts Silver, and one part Copper, near. 1706Phillips (ed. Kersey), Jacobus,..a Gold-coin..of two sorts, viz. the Broad Piece of Twenty Shillings Standard-value..and the 22s. Broad-Piece. 1790Keir in Phil. Trans. LXXX. 370, I added 144 grains of standard silver. 1809R. Langford Introd. Trade 38 Standard Gold contains 11 parts of pure Gold, and 1 part of alloy. Standard Silver contains 37 parts of pure Silver, and 3 parts of alloy. 1866Crump Banking x. 230 The standard purity of the sovereign underwent many changes. 1879Cassell's Techn. Educ. IV. 308/2 Standard gold which implies the quality used for coinage..is..what is called twenty-two carat.
3. a. Serving or fitted to serve as a standard of comparison or judgement.
1724A. Collins Gr. Chr. Relig. 103 It seems incredible, that Origen..and other Christians of his time..should receive an Old Testament (and that with the greatest applause for its integrity, and as a standard Text) from enemies. 1776Burney Hist. Mus. I. 276 note, We may suppose this sound to be the standard pitch, and fundamental note of the Mercurian lyre. 1845De Morgan Globes 95 One hundred of these [sc. the fixed stars] are selected, among which are the standard stars, as they are called, being those which are best known and best adapted for the most accurate use.
b. Of a book, an author: That has a permanent rank as an authority, or as an exemplar of excellence.
1645Milton Tetrach. Wks. 1851 IV. 180 But Erasmus, who for having writ an excellent Treatise of Divorce, was wrote against by som burly standard Divine,..defends his former work. 1728Pope Dunc. iv. 123 Let standard-authors, thus, like trophies born, Appear more glorious as more hack'd and torn. 1759Goldsm. Bee No. 8 Acc. Augustan Age ⁋5 That he [L'Estrange] was a standard writer cannot be disowned, because a great many very eminent authors formed their style by his. 1783H. Blair Lect. Rhet. xx. 408 The good sense, and good writing..render it [Addison's Spectator] one of those standard books which have done the greatest honour to the English nation. 1821Hazlitt in London Mag. Aug. 179/2 Pictures are scattered like stray gifts through the world... There are plenty of standard works still to be found in this country. 1849C. Brontë Shirley I. v. 94 One should not be apathetic in studying standard works. 1891Speaker 2 May 534/1 A ‘History of Chemistry’, which..has rapidly won its way into recognition in scientific circles as a standard book on the subject. 1922Joyce Ulysses 628 You know the standard works on the subject. 1969J. Gross Rise & Fall Man of Lett. iv. 115 He goes on to supply a list of standard works, English and European,..which would certainly keep most ordinary readers tied up for as far ahead as they could plan.
c. Of a law: That has the chief authority with reference to a particular subject.
1752J. Louthian Form Process Scot. 162 The Standard-law in England, concerning High Treason, is the Statute of the 25th of Edward III. cap. 2.
d. Of a maxim, etc.: Constantly repeated, standing, ‘stock’.
1805Foster Ess. iii. i. 10 A standard expression of contemptuous dispatch. 1870M. Arnold St. Paul & Protest. (1875) Pref. 36 Mr Miall's standard-maxim: The Dissidence of Dissent, and the Protestantism of the Protestant religion. 1885Spectator 25 July 977/1 [He] has his oft-repeated little standard jokes.
e. Applied to that variety of a spoken or written language of a country or other linguistic area which is generally considered the most correct and acceptable form, as Standard English, Standard American, etc.; Received Standard; also, standard pronunciation = received pronunciation s.v. received ppl. a. 1 b.
1836Q. Rev. Feb. 356 It is, however, certain that there were in his [sc. Higden's] time, and probably long before, five distinctly marked forms, which may be classed as follows:—1. Southern or standard English, which in the fourteenth century was perhaps best spoken in Kent and Surrey by the body of the inhabitants. 1859Proposal Publ. New Eng. Dict. 3 As soon as a standard language has been formed, which in England was the case after the Reformation, the lexicographer is bound to deal with that alone. 1878J. A. H. Murray in Encycl. Brit. VIII. 396/2 Chaucer's language is well known to be more southern than standard English eventually became. 1908H. Sweet Sounds Eng. 7 Standard English, like Standard French, is now a class-dialect more than a local dialect: it is the language of the educated all over Great Britain. 1909D. Jones Pronunc. Eng. i. 1 Standard Pronunciation. 1919G. P. Krapp (title) The pronunciation of standard English in America. 1925― Eng. Lang. in Amer. I. v. 296 The informal or local speech will often seem more penetrating, more genuine than the standard speech. 1947Partridge Usage & Abusage 304/1 Standard English and Standard American are the speech of the educated classes in the British Empire and the United States. 1962P. H. Johnson Error of Judgment ii. 5 Had spoken standard English varied by a few fancies such as ‘crorss’ for ‘cross’ and ‘poyt’ for ‘poet’. 1975Times Lit. Suppl. 7 Feb. 136/2 Local names pronounced in [Chinese] dialects widely different from ‘Mandarin’ or, as it must now be called, Standard Speech. 1978English Jrnl. Dec. 7/1 There is also a kind of ‘standard standard’. Some people call it ‘broadcast’ or ‘publications’ standard, because most newspapers and television news shows use it.
f. standard time: see time n. 27.
4. Math. That does not involve infinitesimal quantities.
1961A. Robinson in Proc. K. Nederlandse Akad. v. Wetensch. A. LXIV. 434 We consider in the first instance functions, relations, sets, etc. which are defined already in R0 [sc. the set of all real numbers]... Such concepts will be called standard (functions, relations, sets, etc.). 1972[see non-standard a. b].
II.
5. Upright, set up on end, or vertically.
standard-knee = standard n. 19 b.
1538in Lett. Suppress. Monasteries (Camden) 276 Item, ij standert candelstyckes. 1627Capt. Smith Seaman's Gram. ii. 14 All the beames to be bound with two knees at each end, and a standard knee at euery beames end vpon the Orlope. 1733W. Ellis Chiltern & Vale Farm. 318 Its Standard Iron Pin is twenty Inches long and one Inch Diameter. 1833Loudon Encycl. Archit. §981 Each fire⁓place to have..standard grates (kitchen grates supporting themselves by feet in front). 1846A. Young Naut. Dict. 295 Standard-knees. 1865Morning Star 27 Feb., The illumination is produced almost entirely by standard gas⁓burners. 1875Knight Dict. Mech., Standard-piles, in a coffer-dam. Piles placed at regular intervals apart and connected by runners. 1901J. Black's Carp. & Builder, Scaffolding 21 Each side of the inner square was divided into two by two upright poles, so that there were thirty-six standard poles on the outside, and sixteen on the inside.
6. Of a tree or shrub: Grown as a ‘standard’, not dwarfed or trained on a wall.
1685Temple Ess. Gardens Wks. 1731 I. 185 The Border is set with Standard Laurels. 1716Lond. Gaz. No. 5488/8 Standard Trees of Cherries, Apples, &c. 1798Times 28 June 4/2 Large walled Garden..stocked with standard and wall fruit trees. 1842Florist's Jrnl. (1846) III. 87 The habit..does not make it answer so well as a standard rose. 1908Eliz. Fowler Betw. Trent & Ancholme 17 A tall standard Rose.
Hence ˈstandardless a. [-less], having no standard or standards; unprincipled; ˈstandardness [-ness].
1912Galsworthy Inn of Tranquillity 217 How can we help it, seeing that we are undisciplined and standardless, seeing that we started without the backbone that schooling gives? 1944Auden Sea & Mirror in For Time Being iii. 29 On the shuddering edge of the bohemian standardless abyss. 1972J. L. Dillard Black English vi. 238 A combination of age-grading, status-grading, and peer group influence causes a special feature to operate among young males at about the age of puberty. At that time, their graph of standardness will actually swing ‘downward’ a bit. 1973N.Y. Law Jrnl. 2 Aug. 4/8 Such a subjective determination as is proposed here lacks the necessary standards to insure a nondiscriminatory result. The danger of discrimination which inheres in such a standardless approval is..evidenced by the determination in question here.
▸ standard assessment task n. (also with capital initials) Brit. Educ. each of a set of standardized, graded tasks used as criteria for the assessment of school pupils at specified ages, under the national curriculum for state schools in England and Wales; abbreviated SAT.
1988P. J. Black et al. National Curriculum Rep. Task Group Assessm. & Testing (Dept. Educ. & Sci.) vii. ¶ 45 The range and scope of standardised assessments that can be used..is far wider than the term ‘test’ is usually taken to imply. We emphasise this point to draw attention to the fact that our use of the word test will have this broader meaning. Ideally it might be better expressed by the phrase ‘*standard assessment task’. 2003Birmingham Post (Nexis) 17 Dec. 2 Birmingham's head of education..underlined the authority's concern over Standard Assessment Tasks and league tables.
▸ standard assessment test n. (also with capital initials) Brit. Educ. = standard assessment task n. at Additions.
[1988National Curriculum Rep. Task Group Assessm. & Testing: Three Suppl. Rep. (Dept. Educ. & Sci.) iii. 52 As in the primary phase, the elements of training will cover the programmes of study; the attainment targets; the role and practice of internal assessment and its recording; the place and conduct of the standard assessment tasks (tests).] 1989Times 10 Sept. f9/6 At the end of each key stage, his performance will be judged in *standard assessment tests, the first of which will come in summer 1991. 2002Bath Chron. (Nexis) 5 Dec. 1 The tables are based on the percentage of 11-year-old pupils achieving the expected level in tests for English, maths and science in the annual standard assessment tests.
▸ Standard Generalized Markup Language n. Computing = SGML n. at S n.1 Additions.
1983Graphic Arts Monthly Nov. 83/1 The *Standard Generalized Markup Language (SGML) is concerned with generic code construction. 1999J. Naughton Brief Hist. of Future 248/1 [Tim Berners-Lee] proposed Hypertext Mark-up Language or HTML as a subset of the Standard Generalised Mark-up Language (SGML) tagging system which was already established in the electronic publishing business.
▸ Standard grade n. (also Standard Grade, standard grade) Sc. Educ. the Standard grade of the Scottish Certificate of Education, an examination taken or qualification gained at the end of compulsory schooling, similar to the GCSE (the Standard grade began to replace the O grade in 1986, a process which was largely complete by 1991; cf. O grade n.).
1984Sc. Educ. Rev. May 53 The Ordinary grade, which was designed for about the top third of the ability range, is to be replaced from 1986 onwards by the *Standard-grade syllabuses and examinations which are designed to cater for all pupils. 2003Evening News (Glasgow) (Nexis) 9 Sept. 35 If they come in with their standard grades they can go to work towards their highers one day a week.
▪ II. standard, v.|ˈstændərd|
[f. prec. n.]
trans. a. To ascertain the fineness of (precious metal). b. To establish or deposit as a standard of measure or weight.
1696Ord. Counc. 24 Sept. in Lond. Gaz. No. 3222/1 The said Rate..upon the Receiving, Melting and Standarding of the said Plate. 1817Hassler in J. Q. Adams Rep. Weights & Meas. (1821) 154 An iron metre standarded at Paris in 1799. 1820G. G. Carey Guide to Funds 98 Method of standarding coins and bullion. |