standard

STAN-durd/ˈstændəɹd/UKSTAN-duhd/ˈstændəd/

30 meanings of standard

1
basis for judgingnouncountable
A thing you compare others against to judge how good they are.
Like a ruler you hold things up to, to see how they measure up.
We use her work as the standard for the whole team.
This recipe became the standard everyone in the family tries to match.
UsageSay the standard that others are judged against.
Similarbenchmark, yardstick, criterion, model, measure
Note
2
typicaladjective
Of a normal size or type, not special or different.
The package comes in a standard size.
A standard keyboard has the usual layout.
Similarnormal, regular, usual, typical, ordinary
Oppositenonstandard, unusual, irregular, custom
3
official rulenouncountable
A rule that many people agree on, or that the government makes everyone follow.
Factories must meet the new safety standard.
The standard for clean drinking water is set by the government.
UsageOften plural: safety standards. You meet them or break them.
Similarregulation, requirement, norm, rule, guideline
4
nouncountable
How good something is, or how good it needs to be.
The hotel keeps a high standard of cleanliness.
Their homework fell below the standard the teacher expected.
UsageSay a high standard, or up to standard for good enough.
Similarlevel, quality, caliber, grade
5
includedadjective
Included as a normal part, not something extra you pay for.
Air conditioning is standard on this car.
Heated seats are standard on this model of the car.
Similarincluded, built-in, stock
Oppositeoptional, extra
Note
6
classic songnouncountable
A well-known song that many musicians play and people still enjoy.
The band closed the night with an old jazz standard.
She sang a standard her grandmother used to love.
UsageSay a jazz standard.
Similarclassic, evergreen
7
accepted authorityadjective
Seen by almost everyone as the best and most trusted.
This book is the standard guide for new teachers.
Her dictionary became the standard choice for translators.
Similardefinitive, authoritative, classic, established, accepted

Less common meanings

8
adjective
Having gears that the driver changes by hand, not automatic.
The truck is standard, so you shift the gears yourself.
I can't drive her car because it's standard, not automatic.
Similarmanual
Oppositeautomatic
9
car (manual)nouncountable
A car you drive by changing the gears yourself.
He learned to drive on a standard.
Her first car was a standard with five gears.
UsageA manual or a stick shift is the same thing.
Similarmanual, stick
Oppositeautomatic
10
basic but usableadjective
Good enough to use, but not the very best.
The cheapest beef at the store is standard grade, below choice.
The lumber was only standard quality, but it was fine for a shed.
Similarordinary, regular, basic, serviceable
Oppositepremium
11
main language formnouncountable
The main, accepted form of a language used in schools and official life.
Many children speak a local dialect at home and learn the standard at school.
Many local dialects differ from the standard.
UsageSay the standard.
Similarnorm
Oppositevernacular, dialect
Note
12
adjective
Following the form of a language that schools and books treat as correct.
She speaks standard English in formal meetings.
The lesson is written in standard French.
Similarcorrect, conventional, proper, normative
Oppositenonstandard, dialectal, regional
Note
13
battle flagnouncountable
A flag carried by a group of soldiers as their sign.
Like a team flag the players gather around.
The cavalry rode behind their regiment's standard.
Soldiers raised the standard above the captured fort.
UsageYou raise or carry a standard. A standard-bearer leads a cause.
Similarflag, banner, ensign, colors, pennant
Note
14
wine bottlenouncountable
A wine bottle of the usual size, holding three-quarters of a liter of wine.
The winery sells its red wine in standards and magnums.
One standard holds enough wine for about six glasses.
15
nouncountable
An upright pole or post that holds something up, like a street lamp or scaffolding.
The lamp sat on a tall iron standard.
They bolted the sign to a metal standard.
UsageYou may see lamp standard for a street light post.
Similarpost, pole, upright, support
Note
16
large poodlenounabbreviationellipsis
Short for standard poodle: the biggest size of poodle.
Our standard is the calmest dog at the park.
Our standard is the biggest poodle at the dog park.
Note
17
school gradenounIndiacountable
A grade or year level in primary school, used in some countries' school systems.
My cousin just moved up to standard five at her school.
Children in the lowest standard learn to read and write.
UsageYou can say in fifth standard or in the fifth standard.
Similargrade, class, form, year
Note
18
coin puritynouncountable
The fixed mix of pure metal and other metal set by law for making coins.
By law, the coins had to meet a standard of 90 percent silver.
Lowering the standard meant each coin held less silver.
Similarfineness
Note
19
of courseinterjectionslangUK
Used to say you agree with someone or that something is just as expected.
You coming tonight? Standard, see you at eight.
Standard! That's exactly what I would do.
Similarabsolutely
20
single-stem shrubadjective
Growing on its own as a free-standing plant, not tied to a post or wall.
They planted a standard apple tree in the middle of the lawn.
She prefers standard roses to climbing ones.
Note
21
full-size treenouncountable
A full-size tree that grows on its own stem, not made small by grafting or trained against a wall.
The orchard keeper planted a standard at the edge of the field.
A standard needs more room than a dwarf tree.
Oppositedwarf
Note
22
noun
A tough, woody plant whose tall stem is used to graft a weaker flowering plant onto.
23
noun
The large upper petal of a pea or bean flower.
24
noun
A unit used to measure an amount of cut timber.
25
nounobsolete
A big cup or vessel used for drinking.
Frolic, my lords; let all the standards walk, / Ply it till every man hath ta’en his load.
c. 1590, Thomas Lodge, Robert Greene
26
noun
A collar made of chain mail worn to protect the neck.
Goldsmiths also made gold and silver mail for the decorations of helmets and gorgets. The will of Duke Philip the Good shows that he owned a mail standard (collar) made of solid gold.
1992, Matthias Pfaffenbichler, British MuseumHere, standard means a collar of chain mail that protects the neck.
27
nounrare
An angled support timber set on top of a ship's deck, with one arm pointing straight up.
28
noundialectalNorthern EnglandScotland
A heap of stones or an earth mound, often marking a grave.
29
noun
The upright part of a plow that joins the blade to the beam.
30
noundialectalNorthern EnglandScotland
A hill topped by a pile of stones or an old burial mound.

Practice

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Origin

From Old French estandart, meaning a gathering place or battle flag. It probably came from a Frankish word meaning roughly "stand firm."