Acid Test
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
The application of acid is a cer- tain test of gold. Hence the phrase is used of a test or trial which will conclusively decide the value, worth, or reliability of anything.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “Acid Test” mean?
The application of acid is a cer- tain test of gold. Hence the phrase is used of a test or trial which will conclusively decide the value, worth, or reliability of anything.
Is “Acid Test” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.