What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

Standard vs General - What's the difference?

standard | general | Related terms |

As nouns the difference between standard and general

is that standard is a principle or example or measure used for comparison while general is {{cx|now|_|rare|lang=en}} A general fact or proposition; a generality.

As adjectives the difference between standard and general

is that standard is falling within an accepted range of size, amount, power, quality, etc while general is including or involving every part or member of a given or implied entity, whole etc.; as opposed to {{term|specific}} or {{term|particular}}.

As a verb general is

to lead (soldiers) as a general.

standard

English

Noun

(en noun)
  • A principle or example or measure used for comparison.
  • # A level of quality or attainment.
  • #*
  • , title=(The Celebrity), chapter=8 , passage=The humor of my proposition appealed more strongly to Miss Trevor than I had looked for, and from that time forward she became her old self again;
  • # Something used as a measure for comparative evaluations; a model.
  • #* (Jonathan Swift) (1667–1745)
  • the court, which used to be the standard of property and correctness of speech
  • #* (Edmund Burke) (1729-1797)
  • A disposition to preserve, and an ability to improve, taken together, would be my standard of a statesman.
  • # A musical work of established popularity.
  • # A rule or set of rules or requirements which are widely agreed upon or imposed by government.
  • # The proportion of weights of fine metal and alloy established for coinage.
  • #* (John Arbuthnot) (1667-1735)
  • By the present standard of the coinage, sixty-two shillings is coined out of one pound weight of silver.
  • # A bottle of wine containing 0.750 liters of fluid.
  • A vertical pole with something at its apex.
  • # An object supported in an upright position, such as a .
  • #* {{quote-book, year=1963, author=(Margery Allingham)
  • , chapter=Foreword, title= The China Governess , passage=‘It was called the wickedest street in London and the entrance was just here. I imagine the mouth of the road lay between this lamp standard and the second from the next down there.’}}
  • # The flag or ensign carried by a military unit.
  • #* Fairfax
  • His armies, in the following day, / On those fair plains their standards proud display.
  • # One of the upright members that supports the horizontal axis of a transit or theodolite.
  • # Any upright support, such as one of the poles of a scaffold.
  • # 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.
  • #* Sir W. Temple
  • In France part of their gardens is laid out for flowers, others for fruits; some standards , some against walls.
  • # The sheth of a plough.
  • A manual transmission vehicle.
  • (botany) The upper petal or banner of a papilionaceous corolla.
  • (shipbuilding) An inverted knee timber placed upon the deck instead of beneath it, with its vertical branch turned upward from that which lies horizontally.
  • A large drinking cup.
  • (Greene)

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Falling within an accepted range of size, amount, power, quality, etc.
  • (of a tree or shrub) Growing on an erect stem of full height.
  • Having recognized excellence or authority.
  • standard''' works in history; '''standard authors
  • Of a usable or serviceable grade or quality.
  • (not comparable, of a motor vehicle) Having a manual transmission.
  • As normally supplied (not optional).
  • Antonyms

    * nonstandard

    Derived terms

    * bog standard * gold standard * double standard * standard-bearer * standard fare * standard gauge * standard lamp * standard language * Standard Model * standard of living * standard poodle * standard time * standard transmission * standard deviation * time standard

    general

    English

    Alternative forms

    * generall (chiefly archaic)

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Including or involving every part or member of a given or implied entity, whole etc.; as opposed to (specific) or (particular).
  • * c. 1495 , (John Skelton), "Vppon a deedman's hed":
  • It is generall / To be mortall: / I haue well espyde / No man may hym hyde / From Deth holow eyed [...].
  • * 1842 , Douglas Jerrold, "Mr Peppersorn ‘At Home’", Cakes and Ale :
  • "Among us!" was the general shout, and Peppersorn sat frozen to his chair.
  • * 1946 , (Bertrand Russell), History of Western Philosophy , I.27:
  • Undoubtedly the age of the Antonines was much better than any later age until the Renaissance, from the point of view of the general happiness.
  • * 2006 , Ruth Sutherland, "Invite public to the private equity party", The Observer , 15 Oct 06:
  • One advantage of having profitable companies in Britain is that they pay large sums in corporate tax into the Exchequer, which in theory at least is used for the general good.
  • Applied to a person (as a postmodifier or a normal preceding adjective) to indicate supreme rank, in civil or military titles, and later in other terms; pre-eminent.
  • * 1865 , Edward Cust, Lives of the Warriors of the Thirty Years War , p. 527:
  • For these successes he obtained the rank of Field-Marshal General .
  • * 2002 , James Turner, Libertines and Radicals in Early Modern London , p. 122:
  • He becomes the chief chartered libertine, the whoremaster-general flourishing his "standard" over a female army [...].
  • Prevalent or widespread among a given class or area; common, usual.
  • * 1817 , (Walter Scott), Rob Roy , IX:
  • ‘I can't quite afford you the sympathy you expect upon this score,’ I replied; ‘the misfortune is so general , that it belongs to one half of the species [...].’
  • * 2008 , John Patterson, "Home movies", The Guardian , 20 Dec 08:
  • The general opinion on Baz Luhrmann's overstuffed epic Australia seems to be that it throws in everything but the kitchen sink, and then tosses that in too, just to be sure.
  • Not limited in use or application; applicable to the whole or every member of a class or category.
  • * 1924 , Time , 17 Mar 1924:
  • M. Venizelos went to Athens from Paris early last January in response to a general invitation from the Greek populace.
  • * 2009 , Douglas P Zipes, Saturday Evening Post , vol. 281:1, p. 20:
  • Supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) is a general term indicating a rapid heartbeat (tachycardia) coming from the top chambers of the heart - in essence, above (supra) the lower chamber (ventricular).
  • Giving or consisting of only the most important aspects of something, ignoring minor details; indefinite.
  • * 1817 , (Walter Scott), Rob Roy , X:
  • As she thus spoke, the entrance of the servants with dinner cut off all conversation but that of a general nature.
  • * 2006 , Kevin Nance, "Ghosts of the White City", Chicago Sun-Times , 16 Jul 06:
  • The quick answer is that the 1893 Exposition was simply so important -- "the greatest event in the history of the country since the Civil War," as Harper's put it that October -- but that feels too general .
  • * 2008 , Robert P Maloney, "The Quiet Carpenter", America , vol. 199:19, p. 18:
  • Given the scarcity of relevant historical detail in the New Testament, we are left with only a general outline about Joseph.
  • Not limited to a specific class; miscellaneous, concerned with all branches of a given subject or area.
  • * 1941 , (W Somerset Maugham), Up at the Villa , Vintage 2004, p. 24:
  • There was a moment's pause. The Princess broke in with some casual remark and once more the conversation became general .
  • * 1947 , "Russian Catechism", Time , 20 Oct 1947:
  • Already in the primary school work is conducted for the purpose of equipping the pupils with those elements of general knowledge which are closely related to the military preparation of future warriors.
  • * 2007 , Alan Cheuse, "A Little Death", Southern Review , vol. 43:3, p. 692:
  • His measured, springless walk was the walk of the skilled countryman as distinct from the desultory shamble of the general labourer [...].

    Antonyms

    * particular * specific

    Derived terms

    * agent general * brigadier general * colonel general * generality * generally * generalisation, generalization * generalise, generalize * general anaesthetic * general knowledge * in general * lieutenant general * major general

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • :We have dealt with the generals ; now let us turn to the particulars.
  • (military ranks) A senior military title, originally designating the commander of an army and now a specific rank falling under field marshal (in the British army) and below general of the army or general of the air force in the US army and air forces.
  • A great strategist or tactician.
  • Hannibal was one of the greatest generals of the ancient world.
  • *1918 , (Rebecca West), The Return of the Soldier , Virago 2014, p. 16:
  • *:She flung at us as we sat down, ‘My general is sister to your second housemaid.’
  • A general anaesthetic; general anaesthesia.
  • Usage notes
    When used as a title, it is always capitalized. : Example: General John Doe. The rank corresponds to pay grade O-10. Abbreviations: GEN.

    See also

    * hetman

    Verb

  • To lead (soldiers) as a general
  • Statistics

    *

    Anagrams

    * 1000 English basic words ----