acid test

Meaning

1. A test involving the reaction of an acid with another chemical.
2. (figuratively) A rigorous test or appraisal of the quality or worth of something.
3. (broadly, historical) In the 1960s, a party based around the use and advocacy of the psychedelic drug LSD (known in slang as acid).

Synonyms

baptism by fire

baptism of fire

rave

litmus test

trial by fire

Translations

baptême du feu

λυδία λίθος

prova decisiva

Feuerprobe

harte Prüfung

Zerreißprobe

εξέταση

βάσανος

épreuve décisive

épreuve de force

épreuve par le feu

battesimo del fuoco

krachtproef

prova de fogo

محك أو اختبار المصداقية

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˌæsɪd ˈtɛst/

Etymology

From acid + test; sense 1 (“test involving the reaction of an acid with another chemical”) and sense 2 (“rigorous test or appraisal of the quality or worth of something”) refer to the use of nitric acid to test if a metal is gold; true gold is not affected by the acid.
Sense 3 (“party based around the use and advocacy of the psychedelic drug LSD”) is a pun referencing the slang term acid (“LSD”). The original “acid test” parties were thrown by the Merry Pranksters group between 1965 and 1966 and advertised by the slogan “Can you pass the acid test?”