yardstick
/ˈjɑːdstɪk
/noun
1A measuring rod a yard long, typically divided into inches.After tamping a few square feet, use a yardstick or a ruler to measure the tamped depth....
- Then use that as the yardstick to measure the entire piece and make the tough cuts that may need to be made.
- Tape measures may stretch, yardsticks may chip and rotary cutting mats may warp.
1.1A standard used for comparison: league tables are not the only yardstick of schools' performance...
- It is too easy to condemn the past by using as a yardstick the standards of modern western democracies.
- Aid as a share of GDP is the yardstick that is typically used for international comparisons.
- It is only at the end-point that, for want of a better yardstick, a probabilistic test is applied.
Synonyms
standard, measure, gauge, scale, guide, guideline, indicator, test, touchstone, barometer, specification, criterion, norm, average, benchmark, point of reference, model, pattern, rule, principle, paradigm, convention, ideal