n. [ OF. estendart, F. étendard, probably fr. L. extendere to spread out, extend, but influenced by E. stand. See Extend. ] 1. A flag; colors; a banner; especially, a national or other ensign. [ 1913 Webster ]

His armies, in the following day,
On those fair plains their standards proud display. Fairfax. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. That which is established as a rule or model by authority, custom, or general consent; criterion; test. [ 1913 Webster ]

The court, which used to be the standard of propriety and correctness of speech. Swift. [ 1913 Webster ]

A disposition to preserve, and an ability to improve, taken together, would be my standard of a statesman. Burke. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. (Coinage) The proportion of weights of fine metal and alloy established by authority. [ 1913 Webster ]

By the present standard of the coinage, sixty-two shillings is coined out of one pound weight of silver. Arbuthnot. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. (Hort.) 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. [ 1913 Webster ]

In France part of their gardens is laid out for flowers, others for fruits; some standards, some against walls. Sir W. Temple. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. (Bot.) The upper petal or banner of a papilionaceous corolla. [ 1913 Webster ]

7. (Mech. & Carp.) An upright support, as one of the poles of a scaffold; any upright in framing. [ 1913 Webster ]

8. (Shipbuilding) An inverted knee timber placed upon the deck instead of beneath it, with its vertical branch turned upward from that which lies horizontally. [ 1913 Webster ]

9. The sheth of a plow. [ 1913 Webster ]

10. A large drinking cup. Greene. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Hence: Having a recognized and permanent value; as, standard works in history; standard authors. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Hort.) (a) Not supported by, or fastened to, a wall; as, standard fruit trees. (b) Not of the dwarf kind; as, a standard pear tree. [ 1913 Webster ]

Standard candle,
Standard gauge. See under Candle, and Gauge. --
Standard solution. (Chem.) See Standardized solution, under Solution. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Bred in conformity to a standard. Specif., applied to a registered trotting horse which comes up to the standard adopted by the National Association of Trotting-horse Breeders. [ U. S. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. (Chem.) To reduce to a normal standard; to calculate or adjust the strength of, by means of, and for uses in, analysis. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Zool.) A curious paradise bird (Semioptera Wallacii) which has two long special feathers standing erect on each wing. [ 1913 Webster ]