Definitions for touchstone
ˈtʌtʃˌstoʊntouch·stone

Princeton's WordNetRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. standard, criterion, measure, touchstonenoun

   a basis for comparison; a reference point against which other things can be evaluated

   "the schools comply with federal standards"; "they set the measure for all subsequent work"

WiktionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. touchstonenoun

   A stone used to test the quality of gold alloys.

2. touchstonenoun

   A standard of comparison or evaluation.

Samuel Johnson's DictionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Touchstonenoun

   Etymology: touch and stone;pierre de touche, Fr.

   1. Stone by which metals are examined.

   Chilon would say, that gold was tried with the touchstone, and men with gold. Francis Bacon, Apophth.

   If he intends to deal clearly, why does he make the touchstone faulty, and the standard uncertain. Collier.

   2. Any test or criterion.

   Is not this their rule of such sufficiency, that we should use it as a touchstone to try the orders of the church? Richard Hooker.

   The work, the touchstone of the nature, is;
   And by their operations things are known. Davies.

   Money serves for the touchstone of common honesty. Roger L'Estrange.

   Time is the surest judge of truth: I am not vain enough to think I have left no faults in this, which that touchstone will not discover. John Dryden, Spanish Fryar.

ChatGPTRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. touchstone

   A touchstone is a standard or criterion by which something is judged or recognized. It can also refer to a fundamental or quintessential part or feature of something. In historical contexts, a touchstone was a black siliceous stone used to test the purity of gold or silver by the color of the streak produced on it by rubbing it with either metal.

Webster DictionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Touchstonenoun

   lydian stone; basanite; -- so called because used to test the purity of gold and silver by the streak which is left upon the stone when it is rubbed by the metal. See Basanite

2. Touchstonenoun

   any test or criterion by which the qualities of a thing are tried

WikidataRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Touchstone

   A touchstone is a small tablet of dark stone such as fieldstone, slate, or lydite, used for assaying precious metal alloys. It has a finely grained surface on which soft metals leave a visible trace.

Suggested ResourcesRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. touchstone

   Song lyrics by touchstone -- Explore a large variety of song lyrics performed by touchstone on the Lyrics.com website.

Surnames Frequency by Census RecordsRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. TOUCHSTONE

   According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Touchstone is ranked #15391 in terms of the most common surnames in America.
   
   The Touchstone surname appeared 1,905 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 would have the surname Touchstone.
   
   86.5% or 1,648 total occurrences were White.
   7.8% or 149 total occurrences were Black.
   2.8% or 55 total occurrences were of Hispanic origin.
   1.7% or 34 total occurrences were of two or more races.
   0.6% or 12 total occurrences were American Indian or Alaskan Native.
   0.3% or 7 total occurrences were Asian.

Matched Categories

1. • System Of Measurement

How to pronounce touchstone?

1. Alex

   US English

   David

   US English

   Mark

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Libby

   British

   Mia

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Hayley

   Australian

   Natasha

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

   Priya

   Indian

   Neerja

   Indian

   Zira

   US English

   Oliver

   British

   Wendy

   British

   Fred

   US English

   Tessa

   South African

How to say touchstone in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of touchstone in Chaldean Numerology is: 4

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of touchstone in Pythagorean Numerology is: 5

Examples of touchstone in a Sentence

1. Patrick Milligan:

   It was such a hugely influential record and remains a real touchstone for everybody.

2. Marjorie Holmes:

   A child's hand in yours -- what tenderness and power it arouses. You are instantly the very touchstone of wisdom and strength.

3. The Hitopadesa:

   On the touchstone of misfortune a man discovers the strength of understanding and of spirit in kinsmen, wife, servants, and himself.

4. French Proverb:

   Adversity is the touchstone of friendship.

5. Li Shaoxian:

   The Middle East is a touchstone for major powers, whether it is a graveyard depends on whether a country seeks hegemony.

Popularity rank by frequency of use

References

1. ^ Princeton's WordNet
   http://wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?s=touchstone
2. ^ Wiktionary
   https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Touchstone
3. ^ Samuel Johnson's Dictionary
   https://johnsonsdictionaryonline.com/views/search.php?term=touchstone
4. ^ ChatGPT
   https://chat.openai.com
5. ^ Webster Dictionary
   https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/touchstone
6. ^ Wikidata
   https://www.wikidata.org/w/index.php?search=touchstone
7. ^ Surnames Frequency by Census Records
   https://www.census.gov/topics/population/genealogy/data/2010_surnames.html