/stan"deuhrd/ , n.
1. something considered by an authority or by general consent as a basis of comparison; an approved model.
2. an object that is regarded as the usual or most common size or form of its kind: We stock the deluxe models as well as the standards.
3. a rule or principle that is used as a basis for judgment: They tried to establish standards for a new philosophical approach.
4. an average or normal requirement, quality, quantity, level, grade, etc.: His work this week hasn't been up to his usual standard.
5. standards , those morals, ethics, habits, etc., established by authority, custom, or an individual as acceptable: He tried to live up to his father's standards.
6. a grade of beef immediately below good.
7. the authorized exemplar of a unit of weight or measure.
8. a certain commodity in or by which a basic monetary unit is stated. Cf. gold standard, silver standard, bimetallism, monometallism .
9. the legally established content of full-weight coins.
10. the prescribed degree of fineness for gold or silver.
11. Brit. a class or grade in elementary schools.
12. a musical piece of sufficiently enduring popularity to be made part of a permanent repertoire, esp. a popular song.
13. a flag indicating the presence of a sovereign or public official.
14. a flag, emblematic figure, or other object raised on a pole to indicate the rallying point of an army, fleet, etc.
15. Mil.
a. any of various military or naval flags.
b. the colors of a mounted unit.
c. ( cap. ) a U.S. Navy radar-guided surface-to-air missile with a range of 10-30 miles (16-48 km).
16. Heraldry. a long, tapering flag or ensign, as of a monarch or a nation.
17. something that stands or is placed upright.
18. a long candlestick or candelabrum used in a church.
19. an upright support or supporting part.
20. Armor. a standing collar of mail.
21. Hort. a plant trained or grafted to have a single, erect, treelike stem.
22. Bot. a distinct petal, larger than the rest, of certain flowers; a vexillum.
adj.
23. serving as a basis of weight, measure, value, comparison, or judgment.
24. of recognized excellence or established authority: a standard reference on medieval history.
25. usual, common, or customary: Chairs are standard furniture in American households.
26. manual; not electric or automatic: standard transmission.
27. conforming in pronunciation, grammar, vocabulary, etc., to the usage of most educated native speakers, esp. those having prestige, and widely considered acceptable or correct: Standard American English; standard pronunciation. Cf. nonstandard (def. 2).
28. authorized or approved: The program was broadcast on the standard broadcast band.
[ 1125-75; ME standord (cf. G Standort standing-point), conformed to -ard -ARD ]
Syn. 1, 3. gauge, basis, pattern, guide. STANDARD, CRITERION refer to the basis for making a judgment. A STANDARD is an authoritative principle or rule that usually implies a model or pattern for guidance, by comparison with which the quantity, excellence, correctness, etc., of other things may be determined: She could serve as the standard of good breeding. A CRITERION is a rule or principle used to judge the value, suitability, probability, etc., of something, without necessarily implying any comparison: Wealth is no criterion of a person's worth.