standard

modif.

standard

n.

1. Flag

   pennant, banner, colors; see flag 1.

2. Emblem

   symbol, figure, insignia; see emblem.

3. Measure

   criterion, gauge, yardstick, example, rule, test; see also criterion, measure 2.

4. Model

   pattern, type, example, norm; see model 2. See syn. study at model.

standard applies to some measure, principle, model, etc. with which things of the same class are compared in order to determine their quantity, value, quality, etc. standard of purity for drugs; criterion applies to a test or rule for measuring the excellence, fitness, or correctness of something, especially of an abstraction mere memory is no accurate criterion of intelligence; gauge literally applies to a standard of measurement a wire gauge, but figuratively it is equivalent to criterionsales are an accurate gauge of a book's popularity; yardstick refers to a test or criterion for measuring genuineness or value time is the only true yardstick of a book's merit