Litmus ***

litmus



Y

D



–noun 

a blue coloring matter obtained from certain lichens (地衣), esp. Roccella tinctoria. In alkaline (鹼性的) solution litmus turns blue, in acid solution, red: widely used as a chemical indicator.  



lichen

【植】地衣

【醫】苔蘚病





C



acid test, litmus test (nn.) 

   

Acid test is a cliché and a dead metaphor, at least for those unaware that it originated with the testing of gold by putting acid on it. 



The litmus test is a similar metaphor, and probably not many people can remember which way the colors go (litmus paper turns red when dipped in an acid, blue when dipped in a base). 



Both tests have proved to be useful figurative language for more general use, and they are good examples of the quantities of language we’ve borrowed from the sciences for general figurative use, 



perhaps for the [air] of exactness they lend.





　

This September, Toronto is a high-stakes litmus test. In 2008, perhaps more than ever, everyone will look at every strategic move -- each buy, non-buy or glitzy (誇大炫耀) premiere -- and fret about what it means about the Big Picture and the evolving landscape.



glitzy

【俚】誇大炫耀的、或缺乏意味的誇張





fret

The [metal] is fretted with the [acid].

The [breeze] fretted the surface of the [water].





beleaguer 強度單字大集合



plangent (浪) 



taut The rope was taut, and so was the ship’s discipline. 

stringent strict



pungent sexual obscenities

caustic litmus



rankle 

ebullient effervescent