Acid Test (gold)
An acid test is any qualitative chemical or metallurgical assay which uses acid; most commonly, and historically, the use of a strong acid to distinguish gold from base metals. Figuratively, acid test is any definitive test for some attribute, e.g. of a person's character, or of the performance of some product.
Read more about Acid Test (gold): Chemistry, Figurative Meanings
Famous quotes containing the word test:
“The test of a given phrase would be: Is it worthy to be immortal? To make a beeline for something. Thats worthy of being immortal and is immortal in English idiom. I guess Ill split is not going to be immortal and is excludable, therefore excluded.”
—Robert Fitzgerald (19101985)