/ ˈstændəd; NAmE -dərd/ noun , adjective
■ noun
LEVEL OF QUALITY
1.
[ C , U ] standard (of sth) a level of quality, especially one that people think is acceptable :
a fall in academic standards
We aim to maintain high standards of customer care.
The standard of this year's applications is very low.
He failed to reach the required standard , and did not qualify for the race.
Her work is not up to standard (= of a good enough standard) .
Who sets the standard for water quality?
A number of Britain's beaches fail to meet European standards on cleanliness.
In the shanty towns there are very poor living standards .
—see also standard of living , substandard
2.
[ C , usually pl. ] a level of quality that is normal or acceptable for a particular person or in a particular situation :
You'd better lower your standards if you want to find somewhere cheap to live.
It was a simple meal by Eddie's standards.
The equipment is slow and heavy by modern standards .
LEVEL OF BEHAVIOUR
3.
standards [ pl. ] a level of behaviour that sb considers to be morally acceptable :
a man of high moral standards
Standards aren't what they used to be.
—see also double standard
UNIT OF MEASUREMENT
4.
[ C ] a unit of measurement that is officially used; an official rule used when producing sth :
a reduction in the weight standard of silver coins
industry standards
—see also gold standard
FLAG
5.
[ C ] a flag that is used during official ceremonies, especially one connected with a particular military group
SONG
6.
[ C ] a song that has been recorded by many different singers
■ adjective
AVERAGE / NORMAL
1.
average or normal rather than having special or unusual features :
A standard letter was sent to all candidates.
Televisions are a standard feature in most hotel rooms.
the standard rate of tax (= paid by everyone)
It is standard practice to search visitors as they enter the building.
All vehicles come with a CD player as standard .
SIZE / MEASUREMENT
2.
[ usually before noun ] following a particular standard set, for example, by an industry :
standard sizes of clothes
BOOK / WRITER
3.
[ only before noun ] read by most people who are studying a particular subject
LANGUAGE
4.
[ usually before noun ] ( of spelling, pronunciation, grammar. etc. ) believed to be correct and used by most people :
Standard English
—compare non-standard , substandard
••
WORD ORIGIN
Middle English (denoting a flag raised on a pole as a rallying point, the authorized exemplar of a unit of measurement, or an upright timber): shortening of Old French estendart , from estendre extend; in sense 5, influenced by the verb stand .