acid testn.

Brit.

/ˌasɪd ˈtɛst/, U.S.

/ˈæsəd ˈtɛst/

Origin: Formed within English, by compounding. Etymons: acid n., test n.¹

Etymology: < acid n. + test n.¹

1. A chemical test involving reaction with an acid (occasionally, a test for an acid); spec. a test for gold or other precious metal using nitric acid.The test for gold from which the figurative use developed typically involves making a mark on a touchstone with a piece of the metal in question and treating this mark with nitric acid, which dissolves other metals more readily than gold. The effect of the acid in dissolving the mark is compared with its effect on marks made by specimens of known gold content.

ΘΚΠ

society > occupation and work > industry > working with specific materials > working with metal > [noun] > testing > specific test

acid test1759

Wöhler test1911

cupping test1927

1759 R. Dossie Inst. Exper. Chem. I. ii. ii. 305 It [sc. sal sedativus, boric acid] has not the acid test of changing the colour of vegetable tinctures.

1817 W. Henry Elem. Exper. Chem. (Amer. ed. 4) xi. 209 There are certain substances..which may be used in adulterating pearl-ashes, as common salt, for example; and, when this is done, we must have recourse to an acid test for the means of discovery.

1844 N. Amer. & Daily Advertiser 29 July 1/8 The gentleman would then offer to bet $5 that the quarter was good, and would stand the acid test, which, as it was good silver [it] would of course do.

1860 Monroe (Wisconsin) Sentinel 14 Nov. 2/3 The outside film of gold, though less than the two hundred thousandth part of an inch in thickness, is yet enough to cover up the base metal, and protect it from the usual acid test.

1892 G. E. Gee Jeweller's Assistant 131 The old-fashioned platinum alloy, in imitation of the bright gold alloys of thirty years ago,..certainly withstood the acid test very well.

1945 U.S. Patent 2,384,667 2/1 Then there is always the acid test, if in doubt, when gold is used in this kind of currency.

1989 D. C. Davidson Spectacles, Lorgnettes, & Monocles 21 Even an expert would hesitate to distinguish 9 carat from 12 and 14 carat gold without resorting to an acid test.

2006 Sci. Amer. (U.K. ed.) May 80/3 The acid test, literally, comes when paintings encounter—how to put this delicately—an ipescascade.

2. figurative. With the. A crucial or definitive test.

ΘΚΠ

the world > action or operation > endeavour > trial or experiment > trial, test, or testing > [noun] > crucial or decisive test

experimentum crucis1751

acid test1854

litmus test1957

society > occupation and work > industry > manufacture or production > [noun] > prior testing of product > specific test

acid test1854

1854 Columbia Reporter (Columbus, Wisconsin) 18 Nov. (Advertising Suppl.) 19/2 Twenty-four years of service demonstrates his ability to stand the acid test, as Gibson's Soap Polish has done for over thirty years.

1912 L. J. Vance Destroying Angel (1913) xi. 149 Few professional beauties could have stood, as this woman did, the acid test of that mercilessly brilliant morning.

1918 W. Wilson in Times 9 Jan. 8/1 The treatment accorded Russia by her sister nations in the months to come will be the acid test of their good will.

1920 Times 28 May 19/2 Measured by the acid test of profits, it is clear that a substantial increase in earnings must take place in order to justify the directors' capitalization proposals.

1925 Univ. Jrnl. Business 3 382 Liquidity of current assets varies with the ratio of cash, salable securities, notes and accounts receivable (less adequate reserves for bad debts), to total current liabilities (divide the total of the first four items by total current liabilities). This is the so-called ‘acid test’ of the liquidity of current condition.

1928 A. Wall & R. W. Duning Ratio Anal. Financial Statements v. 90 A great many analysts have supplemented their measure of the total current assets against the total current liabilities by a comparison in which the inventory does not play a part. This has been called the ‘acid test’.

1955 Times 27 July 8/6 The acid test, however, would come with the Foreign Ministers' meetings in October, when generalities had to be translated into specific agreements.

2001 Econ. Jrnl. 111 F821 The acid test of any new approach is its capacity to produce new and better models and to contribute to a better understanding of the world.

Compounds

acid test ratio n. Business and Finance a liquidity ratio used in estimating the ability of an enterprise to meet its current obligations, and usually calculated as the ratio of liquid assets to current liabilities.

ΘΚΠ

society > occupation and work > study of work > [noun] > specific studies or techniques

time study1904

motion study1911

work study1921

acid test ratio1925

network analysis1930

methods study1932

methods engineering1939

methods–time measurement1948

activity sampling1956

rhochrematics1960

1925 S. Gilman Analyzing Financial Statements iv. 152 For the latest balance sheet..calculate the ‘acid test’ ratio.

1978 Business Week 11 Dec. 112 The acid-test ratio—cash, cash equivalents, and receivables divided by current liabilities—declined to .94 from 1.3 the year before.

2002 E. McLaney & P. Atrill Accounting (rev. ed.) vii. 211 The acid test ratio represents a more stringent test of liquidity.

This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2009; most recently modified version published online December 2021).

单词	acid test
释义	acid testn. Brit. /ˌasɪd ˈtɛst/, U.S. /ˈæsəd ˈtɛst/ Origin: Formed within English, by compounding. Etymons: acid n., test n.¹ Etymology: < acid n. + test n.¹ 1. A chemical test involving reaction with an acid (occasionally, a test for an acid); spec. a test for gold or other precious metal using nitric acid.The test for gold from which the figurative use developed typically involves making a mark on a touchstone with a piece of the metal in question and treating this mark with nitric acid, which dissolves other metals more readily than gold. The effect of the acid in dissolving the mark is compared with its effect on marks made by specimens of known gold content. ΘΚΠ society > occupation and work > industry > working with specific materials > working with metal > [noun] > testing > specific test acid test1759 Wöhler test1911 cupping test1927 1759 R. Dossie Inst. Exper. Chem. I. ii. ii. 305 It [sc. sal sedativus, boric acid] has not the acid test of changing the colour of vegetable tinctures. 1817 W. Henry Elem. Exper. Chem. (Amer. ed. 4) xi. 209 There are certain substances..which may be used in adulterating pearl-ashes, as common salt, for example; and, when this is done, we must have recourse to an acid test for the means of discovery. 1844 N. Amer. & Daily Advertiser 29 July 1/8 The gentleman would then offer to bet $5 that the quarter was good, and would stand the acid test, which, as it was good silver [it] would of course do. 1860 Monroe (Wisconsin) Sentinel 14 Nov. 2/3 The outside film of gold, though less than the two hundred thousandth part of an inch in thickness, is yet enough to cover up the base metal, and protect it from the usual acid test. 1892 G. E. Gee Jeweller's Assistant 131 The old-fashioned platinum alloy, in imitation of the bright gold alloys of thirty years ago,..certainly withstood the acid test very well. 1945 U.S. Patent 2,384,667 2/1 Then there is always the acid test, if in doubt, when gold is used in this kind of currency. 1989 D. C. Davidson Spectacles, Lorgnettes, & Monocles 21 Even an expert would hesitate to distinguish 9 carat from 12 and 14 carat gold without resorting to an acid test. 2006 Sci. Amer. (U.K. ed.) May 80/3 The acid test, literally, comes when paintings encounter—how to put this delicately—an ipescascade. 2. figurative. With the. A crucial or definitive test. ΘΚΠ the world > action or operation > endeavour > trial or experiment > trial, test, or testing > [noun] > crucial or decisive test experimentum crucis1751 acid test1854 litmus test1957 society > occupation and work > industry > manufacture or production > [noun] > prior testing of product > specific test acid test1854 1854 Columbia Reporter (Columbus, Wisconsin) 18 Nov. (Advertising Suppl.) 19/2 Twenty-four years of service demonstrates his ability to stand the acid test, as Gibson's Soap Polish has done for over thirty years. 1912 L. J. Vance Destroying Angel (1913) xi. 149 Few professional beauties could have stood, as this woman did, the acid test of that mercilessly brilliant morning. 1918 W. Wilson in Times 9 Jan. 8/1 The treatment accorded Russia by her sister nations in the months to come will be the acid test of their good will. 1920 Times 28 May 19/2 Measured by the acid test of profits, it is clear that a substantial increase in earnings must take place in order to justify the directors' capitalization proposals. 1925 Univ. Jrnl. Business 3 382 Liquidity of current assets varies with the ratio of cash, salable securities, notes and accounts receivable (less adequate reserves for bad debts), to total current liabilities (divide the total of the first four items by total current liabilities). This is the so-called ‘acid test’ of the liquidity of current condition. 1928 A. Wall & R. W. Duning Ratio Anal. Financial Statements v. 90 A great many analysts have supplemented their measure of the total current assets against the total current liabilities by a comparison in which the inventory does not play a part. This has been called the ‘acid test’. 1955 Times 27 July 8/6 The acid test, however, would come with the Foreign Ministers' meetings in October, when generalities had to be translated into specific agreements. 2001 Econ. Jrnl. 111 F821 The acid test of any new approach is its capacity to produce new and better models and to contribute to a better understanding of the world. Compounds acid test ratio n. Business and Finance a liquidity ratio used in estimating the ability of an enterprise to meet its current obligations, and usually calculated as the ratio of liquid assets to current liabilities. ΘΚΠ society > occupation and work > study of work > [noun] > specific studies or techniques time study1904 motion study1911 work study1921 acid test ratio1925 network analysis1930 methods study1932 methods engineering1939 methods–time measurement1948 activity sampling1956 rhochrematics1960 1925 S. Gilman Analyzing Financial Statements iv. 152 For the latest balance sheet..calculate the ‘acid test’ ratio. 1978 Business Week 11 Dec. 112 The acid-test ratio—cash, cash equivalents, and receivables divided by current liabilities—declined to .94 from 1.3 the year before. 2002 E. McLaney & P. Atrill Accounting (rev. ed.) vii. 211 The acid test ratio represents a more stringent test of liquidity. This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2009; most recently modified version published online December 2021). < n.1759
随便看	to shed or throw lustre on to shed riners with a whaver to shed the blood of to shed the load to shed the shanks to sheer alongside, to, up to sheer home the anchor to sheet home to sheet up to shell down to shell out to shelter oneself under, behind to shend of to shep naches to sheugh in to shift a mind to shift arse to shift ass to shift end for end to shift for one's own safety to stick to the shop to stick together to stick two fingers up to stick two fingers up at to stick unto