Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Gauge
Gauge
(gāj)
, Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Gauged
; p. pr. & vb. n.
Gauging
] [OF.
gaugier
, F. jauger
, cf. OF. gauge
gauge, measuring rod, F. jauge
; of uncertain origin; perh. fr. an assumed L. qualificare
to determine the qualities of a thing (see Qualify
); but cf. also F. jalon
a measuring stake in surveying, and E. gallon
.] [Written also
gage
.] 1.
To measure or determine with a gauge.
2.
To measure or to ascertain the contents or the capacity of, as of a pipe, barrel, or keg.
3.
(Mech.)
To measure the dimensions of, or to test the accuracy of the form of, as of a part of a gunlock.
The vanes nicely
gauged
on each side. Derham.
4.
To draw into equidistant gathers by running a thread through it, as cloth or a garment.
5.
To measure the capacity, character, or ability of; to estimate; to judge of.
You shall not
By what we do to-night.
gauge
meBy what we do to-night.
Shakespeare
Gauge
,Noun.
[Written also
gage
.] 1.
A measure; a standard of measure; an instrument to determine dimensions, distance, or capacity; a standard.
This plate must be a
gauge
to file your worm and groove to equal breadth by. Moxon.
There is not in our hands any fixed
gauge
of minds. I. Taylor.
2.
Measure; dimensions; estimate.
The
gauge
and dimensions of misery, depression, and contempt. Burke.
3.
(Mach. & Manuf.)
Any instrument for ascertaining or regulating the dimensions or forms of things; a templet or template;
as, a button maker’s
. gauge
4.
(Physics)
Any instrument or apparatus for measuring the state of a phenomenon, or for ascertaining its numerical elements at any moment; – usually applied to some particular instrument;
as, a rain
gauge
; a steam gauge
.5.
(Naut.)
(a)
Relative positions of two or more vessels with reference to the wind;
as, a vessel has the weather
. gauge
of another when on the windward side of it, and the lee gauge
when on the lee side of it(b)
The depth to which a vessel sinks in the water.
Totten.
6.
The distance between the rails of a railway.
☞ The standard gauge of railroads in most countries is four feet, eight and one half inches. Wide, or broad, gauge, in the United States, is six feet; in England, seven feet, and generally any gauge exceeding standard gauge. Any gauge less than standard gauge is now called narrow gauge. It varies from two feet to three feet six inches.
7.
(Plastering)
The quantity of plaster of Paris used with common plaster to accelerate its setting.
8.
(Building)
That part of a shingle, slate, or tile, which is exposed to the weather, when laid; also, one course of such shingles, slates, or tiles.
Gauge of a carriage
, car
etc., the distance between the wheels; – ordinarily called the
– track
. Gauge cock
, a stop cock used as a try cock for ascertaining the height of the water level in a steam boiler.
– Gauge concussion
(Railroads)
, the jar caused by a car-wheel flange striking the edge of the rail.
– Gauge glass
, a glass tube for a water gauge.
– Gauge lathe
, an automatic lathe for turning a round object having an irregular profile, as a baluster or chair round, to a templet or gauge.
– Gauge point
, the diameter of a cylinder whose altitude is one inch, and contents equal to that of a unit of a given measure; – a term used in gauging casks, etc.
– Gauge rod
, a graduated rod, for measuring the capacity of barrels, casks, etc.
– Gauge saw
, a handsaw, with a gauge to regulate the depth of cut.
Knight.
– Gauge stuff
, a stiff and compact plaster, used in making cornices, moldings, etc., by means of a templet.
– Gauge wheel
, a wheel at the forward end of a plow beam, to determine the depth of the furrow.
– Joiner's gauge
, an instrument used to strike a line parallel to the straight side of a board, etc.
– Printer's gauge
, an instrument to regulate the length of the page.
– Rain gauge
, an instrument for measuring the quantity of rain at any given place.
– Salt gauge
, or Brine gauge
an instrument or contrivance for indicating the degree of saltness of water from its specific gravity, as in the boilers of ocean steamers.
– Sea gauge
, an instrument for finding the depth of the sea.
– Siphon gauge
, a glass siphon tube, partly filled with mercury, – used to indicate pressure, as of steam, or the degree of rarefaction produced in the receiver of an air pump or other vacuum; a manometer.
– Sliding gauge
. (Mach.)
(a)
A templet or pattern for gauging the commonly accepted dimensions or shape of certain parts in general use, as screws, railway-car axles, etc.
(b)
A gauge used only for testing other similar gauges, and preserved as a reference, to detect wear of the working gauges.
(c)
(Railroads)
See Note under , 5.
– Gauge
, Noun.
Star gauge
(Ordnance)
, an instrument for measuring the diameter of the bore of a cannon at any point of its length.
– Steam gauge
, an instrument for measuring the pressure of steam, as in a boiler.
– Tide gauge
, an instrument for determining the height of the tides.
– Vacuum gauge
, a species of barometer for determining the relative elasticities of the vapor in the condenser of a steam engine and the air.
– Water gauge
. (a)
A contrivance for indicating the height of a water surface, as in a steam boiler; as by a gauge cock or glass.
(b)
The height of the water in the boiler.
– Wind gauge
, an instrument for measuring the force of the wind on any given surface; an anemometer.
– Wire gauge
, a gauge for determining the diameter of wire or the thickness of sheet metal; also, a standard of size. See under
Wire
.Webster 1828 Edition
Gauge
GAUGE
,Verb.
T.
1.
To measure or to ascertain the contents of a cask or vessel, as a pipe, puncheon, hogshead, barrel, tierce or keg.2.
To measure in respect to proportion. The vanes nicely gauged on each side--
GAUGE
,Noun.
1.
Measure; dimensions.Definition 2024
Gauge
gauge
gauge
See also: Gauge
English
Alternative forms
Noun
gauge (plural gauges)
- A measure; a standard of measure; an instrument to determine dimensions, distance, or capacity; a standard
- 2007. Zerzan, John. Silence. p. 2.
- The record of philosophy vis-à-vis silence is generally dismal, as good a gauge as any to its overall failure.
- Burke
- the gauge and dimensions of misery, depression, and contempt
- 2007. Zerzan, John. Silence. p. 2.
- An act of measuring.
- Any instrument for ascertaining or regulating the level, state, dimensions or forms of things; as, a rain gauge; a steam gauge.
- A thickness of sheet metal or wire designated by any of several numbering schemes.
- (rail transport) The distance between the rails of a railway.
- (mathematics, analysis) A semi-norm; a function that assigns a non-negative size to all vectors in a vector space.
- (knitting) The number of stitches per inch, centimetre, or other unit of distance.
- (nautical) Relative positions of two or more vessels with reference to the wind.
- A vessel has the weather gauge of another when on the windward side of it, and the lee gauge when on the lee side of it.
- (nautical) The depth to which a vessel sinks in the water.
- (Can we find and add a quotation of Totten to this entry?)
- (plastering) The quantity of plaster of Paris used with common plaster to make it set more quickly.
- That part of a shingle, slate, or tile, which is exposed to the weather, when laid; also, one course of such shingles, slates, or tiles.
- (firearms) A unit of measurement which describes how many spheres of bore diameter of a shotgun can be had from one pound of lead; 12 gauge is roughly equivalent to .75 caliber.
- (slang, by extension) A shotgun (synecdoche for 12 gauge shotgun, the most common chambering for combat and hunting shotguns).
- 1996, “Illusions”, in Cypress Hill III: Temples of Boom, performed by Cypress Hill:
- I'm tryin to find ways to cope / But I ain't fuckin' round with the gauge or a rope
- 2000, “Grab The Gauge”, in Underground Vol. 3: Kings of Memphis, performed by Three 6 Mafia:
- It happens everyday don't make me grab the gauge / Dangerously I play, I best to kill with the gauge / And put ya body in the back of that grey Chevrolet
-
- A tunnel-like ear piercing consisting of a hollow ring embedded in the lobe.
- 2013, Destiny Patterson, Samantha Beckworth, Jennifer Proctor, Arose (page 150)
- Jenni didn't really look as though she fit in with the rest of the girls here, she had a nose piercing and angel bites, her long curly dark brown hair with red highlights was pulled back exposing gauges and many other ear piercings and a tattoo […]
- 2013, Destiny Patterson, Samantha Beckworth, Jennifer Proctor, Arose (page 150)
Translations
a measure; a standard of measure; an instrument to determine dimensions, distance, or capacity; a standard
any instrument for ascertaining or regulating the level, state, dimensions or forms of things; as, a rain gauge; a steam gauge
distance between the rails of a railway
|
a semi-norm; a function that assigns a non-negative size to all vectors in a vector space
Derived terms
Derived terms
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Verb
gauge (third-person singular simple present gauges, present participle gauging, simple past and past participle gauged)
- (transitive) To measure or determine with a gauge; to measure the capacity of.
- (transitive) To estimate.
- (transitive) To appraise the character or ability of; to judge of.
- Shakespeare
- You shall not gauge me / By what we do to-night.
- Shakespeare
- (textile, transitive) To draw into equidistant gathers by running a thread through it.
- (transitive) To mix (a quantity of ordinary plaster) with a quantity of plaster of Paris.
- (transitive) To chip, hew or polish (stones, bricks, etc) to a standard size and/or shape.
Translations
measure
to appraise the character of
|
See also
References
- gauge in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913