different between paragon vs yardstick

English

Etymology

From Anglo-Norman paragone, peragone, Middle French paragon, from Italian paragone (“comparison”) or Spanish parangón, from paragonare, from Ancient Greek ????????? (parakoná?, “I sharpen, whet”), from ???? (pará) +? ????? (akón?, “whetstone”) (from Proto-Indo-European *h?e?- (“sharp”)).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?pæ????n/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /?pæ?????n/, /?pæ?????n/, /?pæ????n/
  • (Mary–marry–merry distinction)

Noun

paragon (plural paragons)

1. A person of preeminent qualities, who acts as a pattern or model for others. [from 16th c.]

   Synonyms: see Thesaurus:model

   • 1842, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Threnody
2. (obsolete) A companion; a match; an equal. [16th–19th c.]

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Spenser to this entry?)

3. (obsolete) Comparison; competition. [16th–17th c.]
4. (typography, printing, dated) The size of type between great primer and double pica, standardized as 20-point. [from 18th c.]
5. A flawless diamond of at least 100 carats.

Translations

Verb

paragon (third-person singular simple present paragons, present participle paragoning, simple past and past participle paragoned)

1. To compare; to parallel; to put in rivalry or emulation with.
2. To compare with; to equal; to rival.

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Edmund Spenser to this entry?)

   • 1787, Richard Glover, The Athenaid

3. To serve as a model for; to surpass.
4. To be equal; to hold comparison.

Translations

Further reading

• paragon in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• paragon in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.
• paragon on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

Czech

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [?para?on]

Noun

paragon m

1. A receipt, sales slip.

Synonyms

• stvrzenka
• ú?tenka

Further reading

• paragon in P?íru?ní slovník jazyka ?eského, 1935–1957
• paragon in Slovník spisovného jazyka ?eského, 1960–1971, 1989

Polish

Etymology

Mid 16th century: from obsolete French paragon, from Italian paragone (“touchstone to try good (gold) from bad”), from Byzantine Greek ???????? (parakón?, “whetstone”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /pa?ra.??n/

Noun

paragon m inan

1. receipt (written acknowledgement that a specified article or sum of money has been received)

Declension

Further reading

• paragon in Wielki s?ownik j?zyka polskiego, Instytut J?zyka Polskiego PAN
• paragon in Polish dictionaries at PWN

English

Etymology

yard +? stick

Noun

yardstick (plural yardsticks)

1. A measuring rod thirty-six inches (one yard) long.
2. (figuratively) A standard to which other measurements or comparisons are judged.

   Synonyms: norm, point of reference, benchmark, ideal

   • 2008 April 8, Michael R. Gordon and Eric Schmitt, “Attacks in Baghdad spiked in March, U.S. data show”, in International Herald Tribune, 2008 April 8 edition, “Africa & Middle East” section,

     Attacks against civilians in the capital remained relatively unchanged: 69 in March from 62 in February. ¶ However, another yardstick, the number of civilian deaths tracked by the Iraqi government, shot up last month after several months of decline.

Derived terms

• Portsmouth yardstick

Translations

Further reading

• yardstick on Wikipedia.Wikipedia