Pass Muster: To Meet a Required Standard
“Pass muster, to” - To meet a required standard. This term originated in the military and once meant to undergo review without censure. George Gascoigne used it figuratively in 1575: “The latter verse is neither true nor pleasant, and the first verse may pass the musters” (The Making of Verse). It was a cliché by the time Jonathan Swift included it in Polite Conversation (1738), and it remains current.
Related and Similar Terms:
- Cut the mustard: To succeed; to meet expectations.
- Measure up: To be of a satisfactory standard.
- Get the green light: To gain approval.
- Fit the bill: To meet one’s requirements.
Common Phrases and Idioms:
- Pass with flying colors: To excel.
- Be up to snuff: To be of the necessary standard.
- Give the thumbs up: To grant approval.
- Make the grade: To achieve a required level.
Humor-Filled Quotes:
- “Why don’t mustard and ‘pass muster’ get along? Mustard can never keep up the standards!”
Proverbs:
- “You can’t cross the sea merely by standing and staring at the water.” – Proverb meaning you must meet the challenges head-on.
References in Literature:
- Diary of a Nobody by George and Weedon Grossmith.
- The Confidence-Man by Herman Melville.
Suggested Books, Movies, and Music:
- Book: The Making of Verse by George Gascoigne.
- Movie: A Few Good Men involving a military trial that’s all about “passing muster.”
- Song: Stand by Me by Ben E. King — After all, it’s about meeting standards of love and friendship!
### Which phrase most closely means "pass muster"?
- [ ] Cooking with fire
- [ ] Sailing on smooth seas
- [x] Measure up
- [ ] Running on all cylinders
> **Explanation:** "Measure up" means to meet a required standard, similar to "pass muster."
### Which one is a phrase involving a review without censure?
- [x] Pass muster
- [ ] Stumble through
- [ ] Fall short
- [ ] Slip by unnoticed
> **Explanation:** "Pass muster" originates from military reviews where troops might get censured if they did not meet standards.
### Fill in the blank: To _____ mustard means to meet expectations.
- [ ] Clear
- [ ] Kick
- [x] Cut
- [ ] Tip
> **Explanation:** The correct form is "cut the mustard," which is synonymous with meeting expectations.
### True or False: "Get the green light" is similar in meaning to "pass muster."
- [x] True
- [ ] False
> **Explanation:** Both idioms imply receiving approval or meeting standards.
Inspirational Thought to Ponder: “Meeting standards reminds us that resistance and discipline aren’t always barriers; they are measures that turn our efforts into triumphs.”
Until next time, elevate and strive to not just pass muster, but soar above it! 🚀
— M.L. Merrymaker
