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gage1

[geyj] /geɪdʒ/
See more synonyms on Thesaurus.com
noun
1.
something, as a glove, thrown down by a medieval knight in token of challenge to combat.
2.
Archaic. a challenge.
3.
Archaic. a pledge or pawn; security.
verb (used with object), gaged, gaging.
4.
Archaic. to pledge, stake, or wager.
Origin of gage1
Middle English
Middle French
Germanic
1350-1400
1350-1400; Middle English < Middle French < Germanic; see wage

gage2

[geyj] /geɪdʒ/
noun, verb (used with object), gaged, gaging. (chiefly in technical use)
1.
gauge.
Related forms
gager, noun

gage3

[geyj] /geɪdʒ/
noun
1.
greengage.
Origin
First recorded in 1840-50; by shortening

Gage

[geyj] /geɪdʒ/
noun
1.
Thomas, 1721–87, British general in America 1763–76.

gauge

[geyj] /geɪdʒ/
verb (used with object), gauged, gauging.
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 prepare or mix (plaster) with a definite proportion of plaster of Paris and mortar.
6.
to chip or rub (bricks or stones) to a uniform size or shape.
noun
7.
a standard of measure or measurement.
8.
a standard dimension, size, or quantity.
9.
any device or instrument for measuring, registering measurements, or testing something, especially for measuring a dimension, quantity, or mechanical accuracy:
pressure gauge; marking gauge.
10.
a means of estimating or judging; criterion; test.
11.
extent; scope; capacity:
trying to determine the gauge of his own strength.
12.
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.
13.
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)
14.
the distance between a pair of wheels on an axle.
15.
the thickness or diameter of various, usually thin, objects, as the thickness of sheet metal or the diameter of a wire or screw.
16.
the fineness of a knitted fabric as expressed in loops per every 1.5 inches (3.8 cm):
15 denier, 60 gauge stockings.
17.
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.
18.
Building Trades. the portion of the length of a slate, tile, etc., left exposed when laid in place.
19.
the amount of plaster of Paris mixed with mortar or common plaster to hasten the set.
Also, especially in technical use, gage.
Origin
1375-1425; late Middle English < Old North French (French jauge) < Germanic
Related forms
gaugeable, adjective
gaugeably, adverb
misgauge, verb (used with object), misgauged, misgauging.
multigauge, adjective
regauge, verb (used with object), regauged, regauging.
self-gauging, adjective
ungauged, adjective
Synonyms
See more synonyms on Thesaurus.com
2. evaluate, assess, value, calculate.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018.
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Examples from the Web for gage
Contemporary Examples
Historical Examples

  • The gage had been thrown down to Andrew, and he dared not pick it up.

    Way of the Lawless Max Brand

  • I flung my gauntlet of buffalo-hide at his feet in gage of battle.

    The Shame of Motley Raphael Sabatini

  • Even Samuel Adams, so reasoned the advisers of gage, might be bought.

    The Siege of Boston Allen French

  • gage knew too well that others of the companies were thoroughly disaffected.

    The Siege of Boston Allen French

  • To be sure, gage was a trifle disingenuous in reviewing the past.

    The Siege of Boston Allen French
British Dictionary definitions for gage

gage1

/ɡeɪdʒ/
noun
1.
something deposited as security against the fulfilment of an obligation; pledge
2.
(formerly) a glove or other object thrown down to indicate a challenge to combat
verb
3.
(transitive) (archaic) to stake, pledge, or wager
Word Origin
C14: from Old French gage, of Germanic origin; compare Gothic wadi pledge

gage2

/ɡeɪdʒ/
noun
1.
short for greengage

gage3

/ɡeɪdʒ/
noun
1.
(US, old-fashioned, slang) marijuana
Word Origin
C20: of uncertain origin; compare ganja

gage4

/ɡeɪdʒ/
noun, verb
1.
(US) a variant spelling (esp in technical senses) of gauge

Gage

/ɡeɪdʒ/
noun
1.
Thomas. 1721–87, British general and governor in America; commander in chief of British forces at Bunker Hill (1775)

gauge

/ɡeɪdʒ/
verb (transitive)
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
noun
4.
a standard measurement, dimension, capacity, or quantity
5.
any of various instruments for measuring a quantity: a pressure gauge
6.
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.
the diameter of the barrel of a gun, esp a shotgun
10.
the thickness of sheet metal or the diameter of wire
11.
the distance between the rails of a railway track: in Britain 4 ft 81/2 in. (1.435 m)
12.
the distance between two wheels on the same axle of a vehicle, truck, etc
13.
(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.
the proportion of plaster of Paris added to mortar to accelerate its setting
15.
the distance between the nails securing the slates, tiles, etc, of a roof
16.
a measure of the fineness of woven or knitted fabric, usually expressed as the number of needles used per inch
17.
the width of motion-picture film or magnetic tape
adjective
18.
(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 absolute (sense 10)
Derived Forms
gaugeable, gageable, adjective
gaugeably, gageably, adverb
Word Origin
C15: from Old Northern French, probably of Germanic origin
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Word Origin and History for gage
n.

"pledge," c.1300, from Old French gage "pledge (of battle), security, guarantee" (11c.), from Frankish *wadja-, from Proto-Germanic *wadi- (see wed). Italian gaggio, Spanish and Portuguese gage are French loan-words. The verb is late 15c., from French gager. Related: Gaged, gaging.

v.

see gauge. "The spelling variants gauge and gage have existed since the first recorded uses in Middle English, though in American English gage is found exclusively in technical uses" [Barnhart]. Related: Gaged; gaging.

gauge

v.

"ascertain by exact measurements," mid-15c., from Anglo-French gauge (mid-14c.), from Old North French gauger (Old French jauger), from gauge "gauging rod," perhaps from Frankish *galgo "rod, pole for measuring" or another Germanic source (cf. Old Norse gelgja "pole, perch," Old High German galgo; see gallows). Related: Gauged; gauging. The figurative use is from 1580s.

gauge

n.

"fixed standard of measure," early 15c. (surname Gageman is early 14c.), from Old North French gauge "gauging rod" (see gauge (v.)). Meaning "instrument for measuring" is from 1680s.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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Slang definitions & phrases for gage

gauge 2

noun

Marijuana; grass, pot, weed

[1930s+ Narcotics; origin unknown; perhaps from gaged, ''drunk'']

gauge 1

noun

A shotgun: a shotgun is called ''the gauge,'' explained Officer Phil Lee/ This man took a gauge (Armond pantomimes holding a gun, then bends over to dodge from it) and two people end up dead

[1970s+ Underworld & police; fr the use of gauge to designate the caliber of a shotgun]

The Dictionary of American Slang, Fourth Edition by Barbara Ann Kipfer, PhD. and Robert L. Chapman, Ph.D.
Copyright (C) 2007 by HarperCollins Publishers.
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