litmus test
- a test using litmus paper to determine whether a solution is an acid or a base
- any test in which a single factor determines the finding: a litmus test for political candidates
See litmus test in American Heritage Dictionary 4
noun- A test for chemical acidity or basicity using litmus paper.
- A test that uses a single indicator to prompt a decision: “The word ‘hopefully’ has become the litmus test to determine whether one is a language snob or a language slob” (William Safire).
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