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Catchword for “dipsticking”
Catchword: dipsticking
Gloss: taking random samples or randomly choosing people to question.
Filed under: ,
Part of speechn.
Quotation: One recent morning, Ms. Cascio asked several students in succession to explain the logic of their answer to the same question—and, “Uh, yeah, I agree with Yasamin and Josh” just wouldn’t do. “It’s called dipsticking,” Ms. Cascio said. “It’s really important to make sure the kids are picking this information up, and so I ask, Is this clear to you? Do you really understand it? and I won’t go on until I get a positive, satisfying answer.”
Article or document title:
“In Science Classrooms, a Blast of Fresh O2” (URL)
Author:
Natalie Angier
Article, document, publication, web site:
New York Times
Date of publication:
Oct. 30, 2007
This catchword has yet to be researched.
Comments:
I have heard the term used commonly within demeaning phrases. The person is only as smart as what is directly in front of their face. Does not connect any other background or known information with what is facing them in current time/place.
by Linda Quinteros 30 Oct 07, 0600 GMT

I do like the small irony of this definition from MW's Open Dictionary:
"dipstick (other) : A stuipd or dum person"


http://www3.merriam-webster.com/opendictionary/newword_display_recent.php?id=4705

by Ian Mackereth 30 Oct 07, 1036 GMT

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