From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishyardstickyard‧stick /ˈjɑːdˌstɪk $ ˈjɑːrd-/ noun [countable] 1 JUDGEsomething that you compare another thing with, in order to judge how good or successful it isyardstick of Profit is the most important yardstick of success for any business.as a yardstick These subjects are used as a yardstick against which to measure the children’s progress.2 TMa special stick used for measuring things, which is exactly one yard long
Examples from the Corpus
yardstick• Surely the role of idealism is as a motivating aspiration and a yardstick.• It is also most helpful in providing a yardstick for proper administration against which the resolution of problems can be measured.• Many teachers say the primary school tests are not a useful educational yardstick.• No yardstick for the mediocre companies to strive to.• Sampling the standards Standards proposed for California students are lengthy and detailed, containing dozens of yardsticks for each grade.• I have only one yardstick for a good, loving relationship: does it allow both people to grow and flourish?• The criteria in quality assurance are the yardsticks, the predetermined elements against which service or the dietetic objectives can be compared.• The hospital has developed a treatment for cancer which has become the yardstick for all other treatments.• If this yardstick was right then, it is right now.yardstick of• Is profit the only yardstick of success?From Longman Business Dictionaryyardstickyard‧stick /ˈjɑːdˌstɪkˈjɑːrd-/ noun [countable] something that you use to compare another thing with, in order to judge how good or successful it isyardstick ofIs profit the only yardstick of success?The annual percentage rate is the best yardstick to use when comparing the costs of the different forms of credit. 