pole star
1
6.1
- noun
- /poʊl stɑr/
- She regarded her grandmother's wisdom as her pole star during difficult times.
Examples
-
Throughout his career, honesty remained his pole star.
-
Her dedication to education is a true pole star for many students.
-
For many artists, creativity acts as a pole star guiding their work.
-
The pole star of his life is his family.
-
For many artists, creativity acts as a pole star guiding their work.
-
She regarded her grandmother's wisdom as her pole star during difficult times.
-
Throughout his career, honesty remained his pole star.
Synonyms
16
3.5
Someone or something that brings good luck
1
9.4
Someone who guides and inspires others
1
9.9
A star used to find direction, for example by sailors at sea
How Influential
Surface Forms
Morphology
Knowing 'pole' and 'star' allows a learner to infer a literal meaning (a star by the Earth's pole used for navigation), and from that concrete image many speakers extend it metaphorically to mean a guiding influence. However, the metaphorical leap from a navigational star to an abstract 'person or principle' is not fully predictable without cultural or contextual familiarity, so it is only partially transparent to a B1 learner.
Etymology
Pole star is also used for a person or idea that guides you. Like the fixed star that shows sailors north, a 'pole star' is something steady you look to for 'direction' or inspiration.