Definition of yardstick
1a
: a graduated measuring stick three feet (0.9144 meter) long
b
: a standard basis of calculation
a yardstick for measuring astronomical distances
2
: a standard for making a critical judgment : criterion
measured by the yardstick of her first book was a great success by any yardstick
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
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Time Traveler for yardstick
The first known use of yardstick was in 1610
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