to determine the exact dimensions, capacity, quantity, or force of; measure.
to appraise, estimate, or judge.
to make conformable to a standard.
to mark or measure off; delineate.
to prepare or mix (plaster) with a definite proportion of plaster of Paris and mortar.
to chip or rub (bricks or stones) to a uniform size or shape.
noun
a standard of measure or measurement.
a standard dimension, size, or quantity.
any device or instrument for measuring, registering measurements, or testing something, especially for measuring a dimension, quantity, or mechanical accuracy: pressure gauge; marking gauge.
a means of estimating or judging; criterion; test.
extent; scope; capacity: trying to determine the gauge of his own strength.
Ordnance. a unit of measure of the internal diameter of a shotgun barrel, determined by the number of spherical lead bullets of a diameter equal to that of the bore that are required to make one pound: a twelve-gauge shotgun.
Railroads. the distance between the inner edges of the heads of the rails in a track, usually 4 feet 8.5 inches (1.4 meters) (standard gauge ), but sometimes more (broad gauge ) and sometimes less (narrow gauge ).
the distance between a pair of wheels on an axle.
the thickness or diameter of various, usually thin, objects, as the thickness of sheet metal or the diameter of a wire or screw.
the fineness of a knitted fabric as expressed in loops per every 1.5 inches (3.8 centimeters): 15 denier, 60 gauge stockings.
Nautical. the position of one vessel as being to the windward (weather gauge ) or to the leeward (lee gauge ) of another vessel on an approximately parallel course.
Building Trades. the portion of the length of a slate, tile, etc., left exposed when laid in place.
the amount of plaster of Paris mixed with mortar or common plaster to hasten the set.
Also especially in technical use, gage .
Origin of gauge
First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English, from Old North French (French jauge ), from Germanic
SYNONYMS FOR gauge
2 evaluate, assess, value, calculate.
SEE SYNONYMS FOR gauge ON THESAURUS.COM
historical usage of gauge
The noun gauge (also gage ) appears in Middle English in 1332 in the compound noun gaugeman “official measurer.” A century later, in 1440, the verb gaugen (also gagen ) appears, meaning “to measure (depth, length), measure out (a quantity), make an official measurement of (a container or its contents).” The administrative state has always been in control! The figurative sense “to take the measure of a person or thing; appraise, judge” first appears in 1583. Middle English gauge (noun and verb) comes from Old French gauger (verb) “to measure” and gauge (noun) “the action or result of measuring” (in modern French jauger and jauge for the verb and noun, respectively). Further etymology is speculative and unsatisfactory; some authorities suggest a Germanic noun galgōn- “branch, rod,” which becomes gealga in Old English (Modern English gallows ). In Middle English the spellings gage- and gauge- occur indiscriminately, and some reputable modern authorities recommend the spelling gage, which is the spelling often used in technical contexts. A very common misspelling is guage.
OTHER WORDS FROM gauge
gauge·a·ble,adjectivegauge·a·bly,adverbmis·gauge,verb (used with object),mis·gauged,mis·gaug·ing.mul·ti·gauge,adjective
re·gauge,verb (used with object),re·gauged,re·gaug·ing.self-gauging,adjectiveun·gauged,adjective
Words nearby gauge
Gaudí i Cornet, gaudy, gauffer, gauffering, Gaugamela, gauge, gauge boson, gauger, gauge theory, Gauguin, Gauguin, Paul
Scientists have long known that the brain harbors the biological equivalent of a car’s fuel gauge—a complex homeostatic system that allows our gray matter to track the state of our basic biological needs, like those for food, water, and sleep.
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Once the temperature gauge on top let us know that the grill was adequately heated, we loaded the 285-square-inch grate with all our meat at once.
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Simultaneous increases in equity and volatility gauges are unusual, and a reason for concern for some.
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They assess how financially healthy a company is and act as an independent gauge, letting investors in a company know how likely that company is to pay back its debt, for instance.
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Use this activity from NASA to design and build your own rain gauge.
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It took the entire day, but the slow pace indicated that it was probably a test to gauge public reaction.
The Monuments Men of Occupy Hong Kong|Brendon Hong|December 4, 2014|DAILY BEAST
So, he approached his nomadic friends to gauge their interest in the collaboration.
The only gauge of normality that young people have is their observation of each other.
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When a soldier is hit by an IED the gauge records the event.
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The gauge is attached to the gas burner and the pressure is read by means of a scale attached to the gauge.
General Science|Bertha M. Clark
It is the practice to gauge all such vessels, and to charge them according to their actual content.
Mrs. Hale's Receipts for the Million|Sarah Josepha Hale
This fact alone would serve as a gauge of the wide interval between the civilizations of the west and of China.
Village Life in China|Arthur H. Smith
If gauge is not correct, pay no attention to it, but send back steam enough to heat the train.
The Traveling Engineers' Association|Anonymous
One was the width of the gauge, that is, the distance between the rails.
'Puffing Billy' and the Prize 'Rocket'|Helen Cross Knight
British Dictionary definitions for gauge
gauge
gage
/ (ɡeɪdʒ) /
verb(tr)
to measure or determine the amount, quantity, size, condition, etc, of
to estimate or appraise; judge
to check for conformity or bring into conformity with a standard measurement, dimension, etc
noun
a standard measurement, dimension, capacity, or quantity
any of various instruments for measuring a quantitya pressure gauge
any of various devices used to check for conformity with a standard measurement
a standard or means for assessing; test; criterion
scope, capacity, or extent
the diameter of the barrel of a gun, esp a shotgun
the thickness of sheet metal or the diameter of wire
the distance between the rails of a railway track: in Britain 4 ft 8 1/2 in. (1.435 m)
the distance between two wheels on the same axle of a vehicle, truck, etc
nauticalthe position of a vessel in relation to the wind and another vessel. One vessel may be windward (weather gauge) or leeward (lee gauge) of the other
the proportion of plaster of Paris added to mortar to accelerate its setting
the distance between the nails securing the slates, tiles, etc, of a roof
a measure of the fineness of woven or knitted fabric, usually expressed as the number of needles used per inch
the width of motion-picture film or magnetic tape
adjective
(of a pressure measurement) measured on a pressure gauge that registers zero at atmospheric pressure; above or below atmospheric pressure5 bar gauge See also absolute (def. 10)