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touchstone
WORDNET DICTIONARY
Noun touchstone has 1 sense
- touchstone(n = noun.communication) criterion, measure, standard - a basis for comparison; a reference point against which other things can be evaluated; "the schools comply with federal standards"; "they set the measure for all subsequent work" has particulars: benchmark, earned run average, era, gpa, grade point average, procrustean bed, procrustean rule, procrustean standard, yardstick, medium of exchange, monetary system, graduated table, ordered series, scale, scale of measurement, gauge, standard of measurement, baseline, norm
is a kind of metric, system of measurement
CIDE DICTIONARY
touchstone, n.
- Lydian stone; basanite; -- so called because used to test the purity of gold and silver by the streak which is left upon the stone when it is rubbed by the metal. See Basanite. [1913 Webster]
- Any test or criterion by which the qualities of a thing are tried. Hooker. [1913 Webster]"The foregoing doctrine affords us also a touchstone for the trial of spirits." [1913 Webster]
OXFORD DICTIONARY
touchstone, n.
1 a fine-grained dark schist or jasper used for testing alloys of gold etc. by marking it with them and observing the colour of the mark.
2 a standard or criterion.
1 a fine-grained dark schist or jasper used for testing alloys of gold etc. by marking it with them and observing the colour of the mark.
2 a standard or criterion.
THESAURUS
touchstone
acid test, assay, barometer, benchmark, blank determination, brouillon, canon, check, criterion, crucial test, crucible, degree, demonstration, determination, docimasy, essay, feeling out, first draft, gauge, graduated scale, kiteflying, measure, model, norm, ordeal, parameter, pattern, probation, proof, quantity, reading, readout, reference, rough draft, rough sketch, rule, scale, sounding out, standard, test, test case, trial, try, type, value, verification, yardstickROGET THESAURUS
touchstone
Experiment
N experiment, essay, analysis, screen, trial, tentative method, t=atonnement, verification, probation, experimentum crucis, proof, (demonstration), criterion, diagnostic, test, probe, crucial test, acid test, litmus test, crucible, reagent, check, touchstone, pix, assay, ordeal, ring, litmus paper, curcuma paper, turmeric paper, test tube, analytical instruments, empiricism, rule of thumb, feeler, trial balloon, pilot balloon, messenger balloon, pilot engine, scout, straw to show the wind, speculation, random shot, leap in the dark, analyzer, analyst, assayist, adventurer, experimenter, experimentist, experimentalist, scientist, engineer, technician, subject, experimentee, guinea pig, experimental animal, protocol, experimental method, blind experiment, double-blind experiment, controlled experiment, poll, survey, opinion poll, epidemiological survey, retrospective analysis, retrospective survey, prospective survey, prospective analysis, statistical analysis, literature search, library research, tryout, audition, discovery, measurement, evidence, deduction, induction, abduction, experimental, empirical, probative, probatory, probationary, provisional, analytic, docimastic, tentative, unverified, unproven, speculative, untested, on trial, under examination, on probation, under probation, on one's trial, on approval, check it out, give it a try, see how it goes, Run it up the flagpole and see who salutes.
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