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gauge

noun
\ ˈgāj How to pronounce gauge (audio) \
variants: or less commonly

Definition of gauge

 (Entry 1 of 2)

1a : a measurement (as of linear dimension) according to some standard or system: such as
(1) : the distance between the rails of a railroad
(2) : the size of a shotgun barrel's inner diameter nominally expressed as the number of lead balls each just fitting that diameter required to make a pound a 12-gauge shotgun
(3) : the thickness of a thin material (such as sheet metal or plastic film)
(4) : the diameter of a slender object (such as wire or a hypodermic needle)
(5) : the fineness of a knitted fabric expressed by the number of loops per unit width
b : dimensions, size
c : measure sense 1 surveys are a gauge of public sentiment
2 : an instrument for or a means of measuring or testing: such as
a : an instrument for measuring a dimension or for testing mechanical accuracy
b : an instrument with a graduated (see graduate entry 3 sense 2a) scale or dial for measuring or indicating quantity
3 : relative position of a ship with reference to another ship and the wind
4 : a function introduced into a field equation to produce a convenient form of the equation but having no observable physical consequences

gauge

verb
variants: or less commonly gage
gauged also gaged; gauging also gaging

Definition of gauge (Entry 2 of 2)

transitive verb

1a : to measure precisely the size, dimensions, or other measurable quantity of
b : to determine the capacity or contents of
c : estimate, judge hard to gauge his moods
2a : to check for conformity to specifications or limits
b : to measure off or set out
Synonyms Choose the Right Synonym Gage vs. Gauge Example Sentences Learn More about gauge

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Choose the Right Synonym for gauge

Noun

standard, criterion, gauge, yardstick, touchstone mean a means of determining what a thing should be. standard applies to any definite rule, principle, or measure established by authority. standards of behavior criterion may apply to anything used as a test of quality whether formulated as a rule or principle or not. questioned the critic's criteria for excellence gauge applies to a means of testing a particular dimension (such as thickness, depth, diameter) or figuratively a particular quality or aspect. polls as a gauge of voter dissatisfaction yardstick is an informal substitute for criterion that suggests quantity more often than quality. housing construction as a yardstick of economic growth touchstone suggests a simple test of the authenticity or value of something intangible. fine service is one touchstone of a first-class restaurant

Gage vs. Gauge

Noun

There are two gages: one refers to pledges or securities and is no longer in common general use, and the other is a variant spelling of gauge, which in the noun form refers broadly to measurement (“fine-gauge wire”) or a standard by which something is measured (“polls are a good gauge of how voters might vote”). The earliest evidence we have for the noun gauge goes back to the 15th century, when English spelling was not yet standardized, and the word in question was spelled gauge and gage with roughly equal frequency. Gauge began to be preferred in the late 19th century for most general uses. Some claim that gage appears as a variant more frequently in the U.S., though our evidence shows that the vast majority of uses for gage are from specialized and technical industries, such as mechanical engineering, manufacturing, and electronics, and that these uses of gage are global, not limited to the U.S. Nonetheless, total use of the word gage is small when compared to the total use of the word gauge.

The verb gauge, which refers to measuring or estimating, also has a variant gage. This variant appears to show up primarily in informal sources, though not often. Gauge is by far the preferred spelling in general usage for both the noun and the verb; we encourage you use it.

Examples of gauge in a Sentence

Noun

 The broadest gauge of the economy—the gross domestic product, adjusted for inflation—has risen little more than 4% since the recovery began. — Alfred L. Malabre, Jr., Wall Street Journal, 26 July 1993

Verb

 Through history, the powers of single black men flash here and there like falling stars, and die sometimes before the world has rightly gauged their brightness. — W. E. B. DuBois, The Souls of Black Folk, 1903 On the other hand, no one supposes that the intellect of any two animals or of any two men can be accurately gauged by the cubic contents of their skulls. — Charles Darwin, The Descent of Man, 1871 Incommunicative as he was, some time elapsed before I had an opportunity of gauging his mind. I first got an idea of its calibre when I heard him preach in his own church at Morton. — Charlotte Brontë, Jane Eyre, 1847 Home sales provide a useful way of gauging the overall state of the economy. He accurately gauged the mood of the voters. I was gauging her reaction to the news. instruments for gauging temperature and humidity
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Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

 Even still, the Missouri River remains in flood stage at the gauge in nearby Nebraska City. — NBC News, "Flooded out, farmers find work rebuilding the levees that failed them," 19 Aug. 2019 The weather service expects the river to rise to 20 feet by Saturday morning at a key gauge in the New Orleans area, which is protected by levees 20 to 25 feet high. — CBS News, "Louisiana braces for possible hurricane carrying double trouble," 11 July 2019 The benchmark gauge rose in three of the four trading days, closing at an all-time high after an abbreviated session Wednesday. — Washington Post, "U.S. stocks hit records before pullback tied to jobs report," 6 July 2019 The market is on a four-week losing streak as investors try gauge whether trade conflicts and slowing economies around the world will drag the U.S. into a recession. — Washington Post, "US stock indexes veer slightly lower, shedding early gains," 27 Aug. 2019 Scripps scientist gets help from surfers worldwide for research Surfers monitor waves, gauge riptides and religiously track surf reports. — San Diego Union-Tribune, "Someone San Diego Should Know: Phil Bresnahan," 26 Aug. 2019 Dash touchscreens and digital displays reside where gauges might otherwise be placed. — Arv Voss, Houston Chronicle, "BMW launches first-ever X7," 23 Aug. 2019 At the same time, a factory gauge from George’s district showed the worst contraction in activity since March 2016. — Alex Tanzi, BostonGlobe.com, "Weak World Demand, Trade Take Biggest Toll Yet on U.S. Factories," 22 Aug. 2019 As concerns mount, Kudlow has scheduled briefing calls this week with state and local business leaders, conservative groups, and others to both gauge the economy’s strength and seek more input. — Damian Paletta, The Denver Post, "White House officials eye payroll tax cut in effort to reverse weakening economy," 19 Aug. 2019

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

 Elliott, though, said Ivey and her administration was not interested in gauging the political pushback against the project. — al, "Gov. Kay Ivey declares I-10 Mobile River Bridge and Bayway project ‘dead’," 28 Aug. 2019 To prepare for upcoming matchups, Halas hit on the idea of studying footage of his opponents, to familiarize himself with their plays, gauge their tendencies and prepare his own team. — SI.com, "A History of Football in 100 Objects," 28 Aug. 2019 The family visited the towns, helping create scores for subjective variables, and gauging their overall vibe. — Cassie Werber, Quartz at Work, "Solve your next big problem at work or home with the help of a logic tree," 7 Aug. 2019 There is no indication the Crown Prince plans to ease its suppression of critical voices, and the Kingdom’s intolerance for dissent makes gauging public sentiment difficult. — Joseph Hincks, Time, "Saudi Arabia Is Introducing Landmark Reforms for Women. But the Activists Who Pushed For Them Remain in Prison," 5 Aug. 2019 Money from test fish receipts comes from sampling salmon or other species that are caught by the state to gauge run strength and collect other biological data and then are sold. — Anchorage Daily News, "On air-lifting salmon to spawning grounds in BC, Alaska commercial fisheries funding and seafood delivery," 1 Aug. 2019 IndyCar, Miles said, has already taken initial steps into gauging the appetite for this information and in IndyCar as a whole. —

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