gauge

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Related to gauge: Gauge theory

gauge

a measuring device; to test; a size: twelve-gauge shotguns; the fineness of knitted fabric: sixty-gauge stockings

Not to be confused with:

gage – a security or a pledge; something, as a glove, thrown down as a challenge to fight: The knight threw down his gage.; a variety of plum, as a greengage

gouge – a chisel with a rounded blade; a digging or scooping action: to gouge a channel; to gouge holes

gauge

also gage (gāj)

1. A standard dimension, quantity, or capacity, as:

a. The distance between the two rails of a railroad.

b. The distance between two wheels on an axle.

c. The interior diameter of a shotgun barrel as determined by the number of lead balls of a size exactly fitting the barrel that are required to make one pound. Often used in combination: a 12-gauge shotgun.

d. The thickness or diameter of sheet metal, wire, or a similar manufactured material or piece.

e. The fineness of knitted cloth as measured by the number of stitches per a given unit of length.

2. A standard or scale of measurement: The capacity of barrels was measured according to the gauge in use at the time.

3. An instrument for measuring the dimensions, capacity, or amount of something: a pressure gauge; a fuel gauge.

4. A means of estimating or evaluating; a test: a gauge of character.

5. Nautical The position of a vessel in relation to another vessel and the wind.

tr.v. gauged, gaug·ing, gaug·es also gaged or gag·ing or gag·es

1. To measure the dimensions, capacity, proportions, or amount of (something), especially by means of a gauge: gauged the thickness of the metal part.

2. To evaluate or estimate: gauge a person's interest.

3. To adapt or make conform to a specified standard: pressure valves that are gauged to industry requirements.

4. To chip or rub (bricks or stones) to size.

adj.

1. Of or relating to a gauge.

2. Physics Invariant under a local transformation.

[Middle English, from Old North French, gauging rod, of Germanic origin.]

gauge′a·ble adj.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

gauge

(ɡeɪdʒ) or

gage

vb (tr)

1. to measure or determine the amount, quantity, size, condition, etc, of

2. to estimate or appraise; judge

3. to check for conformity or bring into conformity with a standard measurement, dimension, etc

4. (Units) a standard measurement, dimension, capacity, or quantity

5. (Mechanical Engineering) any of various instruments for measuring a quantity: a pressure gauge.

6. (Mechanical Engineering) any of various devices used to check for conformity with a standard measurement

7. a standard or means for assessing; test; criterion

8. scope, capacity, or extent

9. (Firearms, Gunnery, Ordnance & Artillery) the diameter of the barrel of a gun, esp a shotgun

10. (Tools) the thickness of sheet metal or the diameter of wire

11. (Railways) the distance between the rails of a railway track: in Britain 4 ft 8 in. (1.435 m)

12. (Automotive Engineering) the distance between two wheels on the same axle of a vehicle, truck, etc

13. (Nautical Terms) nautical the 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

14. (Building) the proportion of plaster of Paris added to mortar to accelerate its setting

15. (Building) the distance between the nails securing the slates, tiles, etc, of a roof

16. (Textiles) a measure of the fineness of woven or knitted fabric, usually expressed as the number of needles used per inch

17. (Film) the width of motion-picture film or magnetic tape

adj

(General Physics) (of a pressure measurement) measured on a pressure gauge that registers zero at atmospheric pressure; above or below atmospheric pressure: 5 bar gauge. See also absolute¹⁰

[C15: from Old Northern French, probably of Germanic origin]

ˈgaugeable, ˈgageable adj

ˈgaugeably, ˈgageably adv

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

gauge

(geɪdʒ)

v. gauged, gaug•ing,
n. v.t.

1. to determine the exact dimensions, capacity, quantity, or force of; measure.

2. to appraise, estimate, or judge.

3. to make conformable to a standard.

4. to mark or measure off; delineate.

5. to chip or rub (bricks or stones) to a uniform size or shape.

6. a standard of measure or measurement.

7. a standard dimension, size, or quantity.

8. any device or instrument for measuring, registering measurements, or testing something: pressure gauge.

9. a means of estimating or judging; criterion; test.

10. extent; scope; capacity.

11. a unit of measure of the internal diameter of a shotgun barrel, equal to the number of lead bullets of such diameter required to make one pound.

12. the distance between the inner edges of the heads of the rails in a track.

13. the thickness or diameter of various, usu. thin, objects, as sheet metal or wire.

14. the fineness of a knitted fabric as expressed in loops per every 1.5 in. (3.8 cm): 15 denier, 60 gauge stockings.

15. Naut. the position of one vessel as being to the windward or to the leeward of another vessel on an approximately parallel course.

Also, esp. in technical use, gage.

[1375–1425; < Old North French (French jauge) < Germanic]

gauge

Past participle: gauged
Gerund: gauging

Imperative
gauge
gauge

Present
I gauge
you gauge
he/she/it gauges
we gauge
you gauge
they gauge

Preterite
I gauged
you gauged
he/she/it gauged
we gauged
you gauged
they gauged

Present Continuous
I am gauging
you are gauging
he/she/it is gauging
we are gauging
you are gauging
they are gauging

Present Perfect
I have gauged
you have gauged
he/she/it has gauged
we have gauged
you have gauged
they have gauged

Past Continuous
I was gauging
you were gauging
he/she/it was gauging
we were gauging
you were gauging
they were gauging

Past Perfect
I had gauged
you had gauged
he/she/it had gauged
we had gauged
you had gauged
they had gauged

Future
I will gauge
you will gauge
he/she/it will gauge
we will gauge
you will gauge
they will gauge

Future Perfect
I will have gauged
you will have gauged
he/she/it will have gauged
we will have gauged
you will have gauged
they will have gauged

Future Continuous
I will be gauging
you will be gauging
he/she/it will be gauging
we will be gauging
you will be gauging
they will be gauging

Present Perfect Continuous
I have been gauging
you have been gauging
he/she/it has been gauging
we have been gauging
you have been gauging
they have been gauging

Future Perfect Continuous
I will have been gauging
you will have been gauging
he/she/it will have been gauging
we will have been gauging
you will have been gauging
they will have been gauging

Past Perfect Continuous
I had been gauging
you had been gauging
he/she/it had been gauging
we had been gauging
you had been gauging
they had been gauging

Conditional
I would gauge
you would gauge
he/she/it would gauge
we would gauge
you would gauge
they would gauge

Past Conditional
I would have gauged
you would have gauged
he/she/it would have gauged
we would have gauged
you would have gauged
they would have gauged

Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011

gauge

A unit of length used to measure the diameter of a shotgun bore; e.g., six-gauge equals 23.34 mm. Originally based on the number of balls of certain size in a pound of shot.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

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Noun	1.	gauge - a measuring instrument for measuring and indicating a quantity such as the thickness of wire or the amount of rain etc. gage anemometer, wind gage, wind gauge - a gauge for recording the speed and direction of wind depth gage, depth gauge - a gauge for measuring the depth of grooves or holes or other concavities dipstick - a graduated rod dipped into a container to indicate the fluid level gas gage, gas gauge, gasoline gage, gasoline gauge, petrol gage, petrol gauge - gauge that indicates the amount of gasoline left in the gasoline tank of a vehicle measuring device, measuring instrument, measuring system - instrument that shows the extent or amount or quantity or degree of something pressure gage, pressure gauge - gauge for measuring and indicating fluid pressure pluviometer, rain gage, rain gauge, udometer - gauge consisting of an instrument to measure the quantity of precipitation strain gage, strain gauge - a gauge for measuring strain in a surface scribing block, surface gage, surface gauge - gauge consisting of a scriber mounted on an adjustable stand; used to test the accuracy of plane surfaces vacuum gage, vacuum gauge - a gauge for indicating negative atmospheric pressure water gage, water gauge, water glass - gauge for indicating the level of water in e.g. a tank or boiler or reservoir wire gage, wire gauge - gauge for measuring the diameter of wire
	2.	gauge - accepted or approved instance or example of a quantity or quality against which others are judged or measured or compared standard of measurement criterion, standard, touchstone, measure - a basis for comparison; a reference point against which other things can be evaluated; "the schools comply with federal standards"; "they set the measure for all subsequent work"
	3.	gauge - the distance between the rails of a railway or between the wheels of a train broad gauge - a railroad track (or its width) broader than the standard 56.5 inches narrow gauge - a railroad track (or its width) narrower than the standard 56.5 inches standard gauge - railroad track having the standard width of 56.5 inches distance, length - size of the gap between two places; "the distance from New York to Chicago"; "he determined the length of the shortest line segment joining the two points"
	4.	gauge - the thickness of wire thickness - the dimension through an object as opposed to its length or width
	5.	gauge - diameter of a tube or gun barrel caliber, calibre, bore diam, diameter - the length of a straight line passing through the center of a circle and connecting two points on the circumference
Verb	1.	gauge - judge tentatively or form an estimate of (quantities or time); "I estimate this chicken to weigh three pounds" estimate, approximate, guess, judge compute, calculate, cipher, cypher, figure, reckon, work out - make a mathematical calculation or computation quantise, quantize - approximate (a signal varying continuously in amplitude) by one whose amplitude is restricted to a prescribed set of discrete values misgauge - gauge something incorrectly or improperly put, place, set - estimate; "We put the time of arrival at 8 P.M." give - estimate the duration or outcome of something; "He gave the patient three months to live"; "I gave him a very good chance at success" lowball, underestimate - make a deliberately low estimate; "The construction company wanted the contract badly and lowballed" assess - estimate the value of (property) for taxation; "Our house hasn't been assessed in years" make - calculate as being; "I make the height about 100 feet" reckon, count - take account of; "You have to reckon with our opponents"; "Count on the monsoon" truncate - approximate by ignoring all terms beyond a chosen one; "truncate a series" guesstimate - estimate based on a calculation
	2.	gauge - rub to a uniform size; "gauge bricks" rub - move over something with pressure; "rub my hands"; "rub oil into her skin"
	3.	gauge - determine the capacity, volume, or contents of by measurement and calculation; "gauge the wine barrels" ascertain, determine, find out, find - establish after a calculation, investigation, experiment, survey, or study; "find the product of two numbers"; "The physicist who found the elusive particle won the Nobel Prize"
	4.	gauge - measure precisely and against a standard; "the wire is gauged" measure, quantify - express as a number or measure or quantity; "Can you quantify your results?"
	5.	gauge - adapt to a specified measurement; "gauge the instruments" standardize, standardise - cause to conform to standard or norm; "The weights and measures were standardized"
	6.	gauge - mix in specific proportions; "gauge plaster" coalesce, conflate, fuse, immix, mix, merge, commingle, blend, meld, flux, combine - mix together different elements; "The colors blend well"

gauge

verb

1. measure, calculate, evaluate, value, size, determine, count, weigh, compute, ascertain, quantify He gauged the wind at over thirty knots.

2. judge, estimate, guess, assess, evaluate, rate, appraise, reckon, adjudge See if you can gauge his reaction to the offer.

noun

1. meter, indicator, dial, measuring instrument a temperature gauge

2. indicator, test, rule, standard, model, measure, guide, basis, pattern, index, sample, par, guideline, criterion, meter, yardstick, touchstone, exemplar The index is the government's chief gauge of future economic activity.

3. size, measure, degree, capacity, bore, extent, height, depth, scope, span, measurement, width, magnitude, thickness A narrow gauge steam railway line

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

gauge

also gage
noun

A means by which individuals are compared and judged:

benchmark, criterion, mark, measure, standard, test, touchstone, yardstick.

verb

1. To ascertain the dimensions, quantity, or capacity of:

measure.

Archaic: mete.

Idiom: take the measure of.

2. To make a judgment as to the worth or value of:

appraise, assay, assess, calculate, estimate, evaluate, judge, rate, size up, valuate, value.

Idiom: take the measure of.

Translations

مِقْياس يُعاَيرُ يُقَدِّريَقيسعَرْض، مَسافَه، إتِّساع

měřidloměřitměrkanormaodhadnout

målemåleapparatmålersporviddestandardmål

messen Messgerät Norm Spurweite abschätzen

μετρητής μετρώ

indicador calibrador medir calibrar calibre

mittaripuolinormiraideleveysmitatamitta

jauge évaluer apprécier calibre écartement

mjeračmjeriti

mérőnyomtávszabványméretû

mælamælir, mælitækimeta, dæmasporvíddstaîlaî mál

calibro valutare manometro misurare con precisione passo

測る計器

게이지측정하다

etalonasmatuoklismatuotistandartastarpas tarp bėgių

degvielas līmeņa indikatorskalibrsmērītnovērtētsliežu platums

meetinstrument meten

måle måleinstrument måler sporvidde standardmål

wskaźnik zmierzyć

calcular instrumento medidor medida

датчик измеритель измерять

rozchod

merilnikmeriti

mätamätaremått

เครื่องวัดวัด

ölçmekray açıklığıtahmin etmek çap gösterge

máy đoước lượng

估计标准尺标准尺寸测量精确测量

gauge

gage (US) [geɪdʒ]

A. N (= standard measure) [of wire, bullet, gun] → calibre m; [of railway track] → ancho m, entrevía f, trocha f (LAm); (= instrument) → indicador m (fig) → indicación f, muestra f
petrol or > gas gauge (US) → indicador m del nivel de gasolina
oil gauge → indicador m de(l) aceite
pressure gauge → manómetro m
see also narrow E

B. VT [+ temperature, pressure] → medir (fig) [+ sb's capabilities, character] → estimar, juzgar
to gauge the distance with one's eye → medir la distancia al ojo
he knows how to gauge the feeling of the crowd → sabe reconocer los deseos de la multitud
to gauge the right moment → elegir el momento oportuno

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

gauge

[ˈgeɪdʒ]

(= standard measure) → calibre m

→ écartement m

(= instrument) → jauge f fuel gauge, pressure gauge, petrol gauge, gas gauge

(= calculate) → évaluer, jauger
to gauge the right moment → calculer le moment propice

(= judge) [+ sb's capabilities, character] → juger de

(= assess) → évaluer

gauge

(= instrument) → Messgerät or -instrument nt; (to measure diameter, width etc) → (Mess)lehre f; (for rings) → Ringmaß nt; (to measure water level) → Pegel m; pressure/wind gauge → Druck-/Windmesser m

(= thickness, width, of wire, sheet metal etc) → Stärke f; (of bullet) → Durchmesser m, → Kaliber nt; (Rail) → Spurweite f; standard/narrow gauge → Normal-/Schmalspur f

(fig) → Maßstab m → (of für)

(Tech: = measure) → messen

(fig: = appraise) person’s capacities, character, progress → beurteilen; reaction, course of events → abschätzen; situation → abwägen; mood → einschätzen; (= guess) → schätzen; I tried to gauge whether she was pleased or not → ich versuchte zu beurteilen, ob sie sich freute oder nicht

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

gauge

[geɪdʒ]

1. n (standard measure, of bullet) → calibro; (of pipe, wire) → diametro; (of railway track) → scartamento; (instrument) → indicatore m di livello (fig) → metro, criterio
petrol gauge (Am) gas gauge → indicatore m or spia della benzina
oil gauge → spia dell'olio
pressure gauge → manometro

2. vt (temperature, pressure) → misurare (fig) (sb's capabilities, character) → valutare, stimare
to gauge the right moment → calcolare il momento giusto

gauge

(also, especially American) gage (geidʒ) verb

1. to measure (something) very accurately. They gauged the hours of sunshine.

2. to estimate, judge. Can you gauge her willingness to help?

noun

1. an instrument for measuring amount, size, speed etc. a petrol gauge.

2. a standard size (of wire, bullets etc). gauge wire.

3. the distance between the rails of a railway line.

gauge

→ مِقْياس, يُعاَيرُ měřidlo, odhadnout måle, måleapparat messen, Messgerät μετρητής, μετρώ calcular, indicador mitata, mittari jauge, jauger mjerač, mjeriti calibro, valutare 測る, 計器 게이지, 측정하다 meetinstrument, meten måle, måler wskaźnik, zmierzyć calcular, instrumento medidor измеритель, измерять mäta, mätare เครื่องวัด, วัด ölçek, ölçmek máy đo, ước lượng 标准尺, 测量

gauge

n. medida;

vt. medir.

gauge

n calibre m; 21 — needle aguja de calibre 21

References in classic literature ?

Gauge thy gape with buck or goat, Lest thine eye should choke thy throat, After gorging, wouldst thou sleep?

View in context

Ex- perience is a keen teacher; and long before you had mastered your A B C, or knew where the "white sails" of the Chesapeake were bound, you began, I see, to gauge the wretchedness of the slave, not by his hunger and want, not by his lashes and toil, but by the cruel and blighting death which gathers over his soul.

View in context

This was not a mere guess; her connection with the child was still so close, that she could gauge by the flow of her milk his need of food, and knew for certain he was hungry.

View in context

No one was or is able to foresee in what condition our or the enemy's armies will be in a day's time, and no one can gauge the force of this or that detachment.

View in context

With one barrel of his ten- gauge shot-gun he had blown the life out of the bushman who had so nearly got him; with the other barrel he had peppered the bushmen bending over Sagawa, and had the pleasure of knowing that the major portion of the charge had gone into the one who leaped away with Sagawa's head.

View in context

Though they began by discussing all manner of subjects in Weeks' little room eventually the conversation always turned to religion: the theological student took a professional interest in it, and Hayward welcomed a subject in which hard facts need not disconcert him; when feeling is the gauge you can snap your angers at logic, and when your logic is weak that is very agreeable.

View in context

[USPRwire, Mon Jul 29 2019] A depth gauge is a measurement device used to accurately measure the depth of cavities, holes or recesses, grooves or other type of openings.

Depth Gauge Market Expected to Deliver High-End Opportunities during the Forecast Period, 2018-2028

[ClickPress, Mon Jul 29 2019] A depth gauge is a measurement device used to accurately measure the depth of cavities, holes or recesses, grooves or other type of openings.

Depth Gauge Market Expected to Deliver High-End Opportunities during the Forecast Period, 2018-2028

Main purpose of this paper is to present the new vacuum gauge verification methodology.

Vacuum Gauge Verification Methodology for Vacuum Coating Deposition Processes

A rifle could have headspace that is just .0005" beyond the length of the No Go gauge. If so, it would accept and close on the gauge.

Go or no go

The cheaper alternative is to repair or replace an existing gauge. Here is a field report on available options and the limitations you might encounter.