touchstones

A touchstone is something that serves as a standard for judging or measuring quality. It's like a reference point.

When we talk about a movie being a "touchstone" for some young director, it means that film is an example of how to make great movies. The director was inspired by the way the filmmakers told stories and created characters, so they used it as a guide for their own work. It's like saying, "I learned from this movie how to do things right." Sometimes, people also talk about an event or a moment in history that serves as a touchstone – something that marked a turning point and changed the way we see the world.

The word 'touchstone' can be used as both noun (a standard for judging) and verb (to use something as a guide or example). When it's a noun, it's like saying "this book is our touchstone for good writing".