Dipsticks

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A tool used for measuring the level of liquid in a container or reservoir, such as oil in an engine
2. Colloquially, an informal term for a foolish or incompetent person
3. Thin, long implements designed to check fluid levels, often marked for easy reading

Etymology: "Dipsticks" is the plural of "dipstick", a compound of "dip" and "stick". The name describes the tool's function: a rod is pushed into a reservoir, pulled out, and the wet section shows how much liquid is inside. Here the reservoir is an engine's oil sump, and the rod reads the oil level against marked limits. The first half, "dip," means to plunge something briefly into a liquid, and the second, "stick," is a slender rod or staff. Put together, the compound names the stick you dip into a container. The same logic produces other "dip" compounds, such as the older "dipstick" used for measuring fuel in a tank, which predates its use for engine oil.

Synonyms: measuring sticks, gauges, probes, indicators, meters