dipstick

dip·stick | \ ˈdip-ˌstik

Definition of dipstick

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

2 [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 on the Web Traditionally, urinalysis has been performed using test strips; a typical dipstick test, which changes color to reflect a positive or negative reading, costs some five dollars and can be done anywhere. — Colton Wooten, The New Yorker, "My Years in the Florida Shuffle of Drug Addiction," 14 Oct. 2019 The mechanic should have checked both the oil capacity and the dipstick. — Ray Magliozzi, courant.com, "Car Talk: He doesn’t want to take parents’ Crown Vic to college," 6 Oct. 2019 Usually, they're diagnosed with a dipstick analysis like the one Price took or by sending the urine sample to a lab to look for bacteria. — Suzannah Weiss, chicagotribune.com, "For those suffering from chronic urinary tract pain, new tests bring hope," 5 July 2019 But standard dipstick testing, in which a doctor dips a plastic stick into a urine sample to check it for signs of bacteria in the office, kept coming back negative. — Suzannah Weiss, chicagotribune.com, "For those suffering from chronic urinary tract pain, new tests bring hope," 5 July 2019 Then, remove the dipstick from its spot, wipe it off on a clean rag or paper towel, and push it back all the way into its home and pull it back out again. — Kyle Westwood, Good Housekeeping, "5 Sneaky Signs Your Car Is About to Break Down," 4 Sep. 2018 Other heaters include block heaters that bolt electrical elements to the exterior of the engine, oil heaters that take the place of a dipstick and coolant heaters to keep the antifreeze from, well, freezing. — Dwight Adams, Indianapolis Star, "Here's what to do when a car won't start in cold weather," 2 Jan. 2018 The drug identifiers come in a variety of models such as dipsticks and strips, as well as more covert options that look like nail polish, cups, coasters and straws. — Andrea Sachs, chicagotribune.com, "Women who travel share a universal issue: Sexual harassment," 15 Dec. 2017 Drivetrain Check the dipsticks for the engine and transmission. — Mike Allen, Popular Mechanics, "How To Dry Out Your Flooded Car," 27 Aug. 2017

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.

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“Dipstick.” The Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster Inc., https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dipstick. Accessed 22 January 2020.

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More Definitions for dipstick

dipstick

noun