dipstick

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noun dip·stick \ ˈdip-ˌstik \

Definition of dipstick

1 :a graduated rod for indicating depth (as of oil in a crankcase)

[euphemism for dipshit]

:nitwit

3 :a chemically sensitive strip of paper used to identify one or more constituents (such as glucose or protein) of urine by immersion

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Examples of dipstick in a Sentence

Some dipstick cut in front of me on the highway.
which dipstick used the good china as a dog dish?

Recent Examples of dipstick from the Web

Cornish also likes the idea of abandoning the dipsticks altogether and making the yeast available as sachets of powder.

— ed yong, The Atlantic, "Turning Baker’s Yeast Into a Disease Sensor," 18 July 2017
The transmission fluid dipstick has also been moved to provide ground-level access on gasoline models.

— terry troy, cleveland.com, "Ford upgrades its Ohio-made F-650/750 trucks," 21 May 2017
The gasoline engine's oil dipstick was already accessible from the ground.

— terry troy, cleveland.com, "Ford upgrades its Ohio-made F-650/750 trucks," 21 May 2017
Your dipstick shows a low level, is the color of institutional linoleum and smells like the bottom of a barbecue pit after a biker wedding.

— automotive editors, Popular Mechanics, "How to Change Your Transmission Fluid," 8 Feb. 2017
Insert the dipstick back all the way in, and then pull it out and hold it horizontally to read it.

— krista soriano, Cosmopolitan, "3 Car Things Every Twentysomething Should Know How to Do," 25 Feb. 2016

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'dipstick.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of dipstick

1927

dipstick Synonyms

Synonyms

berk [British], booby, charlie (also charley) [British], cuckoo, ding-a-ling, dingbat, ding-dong, fool, doofus [slang], featherhead, git [British], goose, half-wit, jackass, lunatic, mooncalf, nincompoop, ninny, ninnyhammer, nit [chiefly British], nitwit, nut, nutcase, simp, simpleton, turkey, yo-yo

Related Words

daredevil; madman, madwoman; airhead, birdbrain, blockhead, cretin, dodo, dolt, donkey, dope, dork [slang], dumbbell, dummy, dunce, fathead, gander, goon, half-wit, idiot, ignoramus, imbecile, know-nothing, knucklehead, moron, numskull (or numbskull), pinhead, schlub (also shlub) [slang], schlump [slang], schnook [slang], stock; featherbrain, scatterbrain; butt, dupe, laughingstock, mockery, monkey; chump, loser, schlemiel (also shlemiel); character, codger, crackbrain, crackpot, crank, kook, oddball, screwball, weirdo

Near Antonyms

sage, thinker; brain, genius

DIPSTICK Defined for English Language Learners

dipstick

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noun

Definition of dipstick for English Language Learners

: a long thin piece of metal with marks that are used to show how much of a fluid (such as motor oil) is in a container or an engine
: a stupid person

Medical Dictionary

dipstick

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noun dip·stick \ ˈdip-ˌstik \

medical Definition of dipstick

:a chemically sensitive strip of paper used to identify one or more constituents (as glucose or protein) of urine by immersion

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DIPSTICK Defined for English Language Learners

dipstick

Definition of dipstick for English Language Learners

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dipstick

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