standard bearer

Webster's Dictionary (GCIDE)

Standard \Stand"ard\ (-[~e]rd), n. [OF. estendart, F. ['e]tendard, probably fr. L. extendere to spread out, extend, but influenced by E. stand. See Extend.]

1.A flag; colors; a banner; especially, a national or other ensign. [1913 Webster]

His armies, in the following day, On those fair plains their standards proud display.— Fairfax.[1913 Webster]

2.That which is established by authority as a rule for the measure of quantity, extent, value, or quality; esp., the original specimen weight or measure sanctioned by government, as the standard pound, gallon, or yard. [1913 Webster]

3.That which is established as a rule or model by authority, custom, or general consent; criterion; test. [1913 Webster]

The court, which used to be the standard of propriety and correctness of speech.— Swift.[1913 Webster]

A disposition to preserve, and an ability to improve, taken together, would be my standard of a statesman.— Burke.[1913 Webster]

4.(Coinage) The proportion of weights of fine metal and alloy established by authority. [1913 Webster]

By the present standard of the coinage, sixty-two shillings is coined out of one pound weight of silver.— Arbuthnot.[1913 Webster]

5.(Hort.) A tree of natural size supported by its own stem, and not dwarfed by grafting on the stock of a smaller species nor trained upon a wall or trellis. [1913 Webster]

In France part of their gardens is laid out for flowers, others for fruits; some standards, some against walls.— Sir W. Temple.[1913 Webster]

6.(Bot.) The upper petal or banner of a papilionaceous corolla. [1913 Webster]

7.(Mech. & Carp.) An upright support, as one of the poles of a scaffold; any upright in framing. [1913 Webster]

8.(Shipbuilding) An inverted knee timber placed upon the deck instead of beneath it, with its vertical branch turned upward from that which lies horizontally. [1913 Webster]

9.The sheth of a plow. [1913 Webster]

10.A large drinking cup. --Greene. [1913 Webster]

Standard bearer, an officer of an army, company, or troop, who bears a standard; -- commonly called color sergeantor color bearer; hence, the leader of any organization; as, the standard bearer of a political party. [1913 Webster]