touchstone

Meanings

• noun

  A small, smooth stone used as a standard or benchmark for comparison.

  - "The gemologist used a touchstone to evaluate the quality of the diamond."
  - "In ancient times, a touchstone was used to determine the purity of gold."

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Rhymes

Words rhyming with touchstone
drones , tones , mones , gones , bones

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Homophones

Words having the same pronunciation but different meanings, origins, or spelling,

1. Touchstone (English) : A small, smooth stone used as a standard or benchmark for comparison.
   

2. Touchstone (Shakespeare) : A trusted friend or advisor.
   

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Variants

List of all variants of touchstone that leads to same result
touchstone , touchstones

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Etymology

origin and the way in which meanings have changed throughout history.

Old English tocsian stone, from tocsian to touch, test.

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Trivia

Any details, considerations, events or pieces of information regarding the word

1. The term 'touchstone' is also used in geology to refer to a rock that can be used to identify other rocks based on their color or hardness.

2. The term 'touchstone' is derived from the Old English word 'tocsian', which means 'to touch' or 'to test'.

3. In ancient times, touchstones were made from basalt or other dark, hard, and smooth stones.

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Related Concepts

informations on related concepts or terms closely associated with the word. Discuss semantic fields or domains that the word belongs to

1. Stone of Scone: A coronation stone used in the crowning of Scottish monarchs, also known as the 'Stone of Destiny'. It is believed to have been used as a touchstone during ancient Scottish coronations.

2. Touchstone Test: A method used to evaluate the quality of software or websites, where the system is tested against a known standard or benchmark.

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Culture

Any cultural, historical, or symbolic significance of the word. Explore how the word has been used in literature, art, music, or other forms of expression.

In literature, 'touchstone' is also used as a name of a character in Shakespeare's 'As You Like It'. Touchstones were used in ancient civilizations for various purposes such as determining the purity of metals, testing the quality of glass, and even for divination.

How to Memorize "touchstone"

1. visualize
   

   - Visualize a small, smooth stone that is used as a standard or benchmark.
   - Imagine the stone being used to test the quality of metals or glass.

2. associate
   

   - Associate the word 'touchstone' with the idea of a standard or benchmark.
   - Think of the word 'touchstone' as a small, smooth stone used for comparison.

3. mnemonics
   

   - Use the mnemonic 'A Touchstone Is A Small Stone', to remember the definition of the word.

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