Standard /(-ẽrd)/

Stand·ard

Standard

n.
  1. A flag; colors; a banner; especially, a national or other ensign.
    His armies, in the following day, On those fair plains their standards proud display.
  2. That which is established by authority as a rule for the measure of quantity, extent, value, or quality; esp., the original specimen weight or measure sanctioned by government, as the standard pound, gallon, or yard.
  3. That which is established as a rule or model by authority, custom, or general consent; criterion; test.
    The court, which used to be the standard of propriety and correctness of speech.
    A disposition to preserve, and an ability to improve, taken together, would be my standard of a statesman.
  4. The proportion of weights of fine metal and alloy established by authority. (Coinage)
    By the present standard of the coinage, sixty-two shillings is coined out of one pound weight of silver.
  5. A tree of natural size supported by its own stem, and not dwarfed by grafting on the stock of a smaller species nor trained upon a wall or trellis. (Hort.)
    In France part of their gardens is laid out for flowers, others for fruits; some standards, some against walls.
  6. The upper petal or banner of a papilionaceous corolla. (Bot.)
  7. An upright support, as one of the poles of a scaffold; any upright in framing. (Mech. & Carp.)
  8. An inverted knee timber placed upon the deck instead of beneath it, with its vertical branch turned upward from that which lies horizontally. (Shipbuilding)
  9. The sheth of a plow.
  10. A large drinking cup.

Phrases & Compounds
Standard bearer
an officer of an army, company, or troop, who bears a standard; -- commonly called color sergeantor color bearer; hence, the leader of any organization; as, the standard bearer of a political party.

Standard

a.
  1. Being, affording, or according with, a standard for comparison and judgment; as, standard time; standard weights and measures; a standard authority as to nautical terms; standard gold or silver.
  2. Hence: Having a recognized and permanent value; as, standard works in history; standard authors.
  3. Not supported by, or fastened to, a wall; as, standard fruit trees. (Hort.)

Phrases & Compounds
Standard candle
See under Candle, and Gauge.
Standard solution
See Standardized solution, under Solution.