broad gauge

¹

especially in technical use, broad gage

noun

Railroads.

1. gauge15

broad-gauge

²

Or broad-gauged

[brawd-geyj]

adjective

1. Railroads.,  of or relating to equipment designed for a railroad having track of a broad gauge.

   broad-gauge rolling stock.

2. of wide scope, application, or experience.

   broad-gauge efforts to improve the health of our citizens.

broad gauge

noun

1. a railway track with a greater distance between the lines than the standard gauge of 56 1/ 2 inches (about 1.44 metres) used now by most mainline railway systems

adjective

1. of, relating to, or denoting a railway having this track

Word History and Origins

Origin of broad gauge¹

First recorded in 1835–45

Origin of broad gauge²

1835–45, for an earlier sense