broad gaugen.
The wider distance at which the rails are laid on some railways, involving a corresponding width of carriage. See gauge n. Often attributive (also figurative). The broad gauge of the Great Western Railway, in England, is 7 feet, as against the ordinary gauge of 4 ft. 8½ in.
ΘΚΠ
society > travel > rail travel > railway system or organization > [noun] > track > permanent way > space between rails > gauge
wide gauge1837
narrow gauge1839
gauge1841
broad gauge1844
1844 D. Gooch Diaries 53 It became a fight between the broad-gauge companies and the narrow-gauge companies.
1858 Brannan in F. J. Meine Tall Tales of S.W. (1930) 255 The Univarsalists..get on the broad gage and goes the hull hog-ah!
1864 Times 24 Dec. A through broad-gauge train was due.
1865 Times 25 Jan. If the broad gauge may be unnecessarily wide the narrow gauge is too narrow.
1868 M. Pattison Suggestions Acad. Organisation iv. 102 We wish to maintain one broad-gauge line of refining education.
Derivatives
ˈbroad-gauged adj.
ΘΚΠ
society > travel > rail travel > railway system or organization > [adjective] > types of track or rail
slow1799
fast1814
fish-jointed1855
prismoidal1874
broad-gauged1881
monorail1885
unballasted1887
sleepered1894
monoline1902
wide gauge1982
1881 Chicago Times 4 June Everything broad-gauged and in liberal proportions.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1888; most recently modified version published online September 2020).
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n.1844