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Synonyms

gage

1 American  
[geyj] / geɪdʒ /

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

  1. Archaic. to pledge, stake, or wager.

gage 2 American  
[geyj] / geɪdʒ /

noun

gaged, gaging

  1. (chiefly in technical use) gauge.

gage 3 American  
[geyj] / geɪdʒ /

noun

  1. greengage.

Gage 4 American  
[geyj] / geɪdʒ /

noun

  1. Thomas, 1721–87, British general in America 1763–76.

gage 1 British  
/ 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

"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

verb

  1. archaic (tr) to stake, pledge, or wager

"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
Gage 2 British  
/ ɡeɪdʒ /

noun

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

"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
gage 3 British  
/ ɡeɪdʒ /

noun

  1. short for greengage

"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
gage 4 British  
/ ɡeɪdʒ /

noun

  1. old-fashioned marijuana

"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
gage 5 British  
/ ɡeɪdʒ /

noun

  1. a variant spelling (esp in technical senses) of gauge

"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

Other Word Forms

  • gager noun

Etymology

Origin of gage1

First recorded in 1450–1500; late Middle English, from Old French g(u)age, from Germanic; compare Gothic wadi “a pledge”; wage

Origin of gage3

First recorded in 1840–50; by shortening

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The river gage shows the river may reach 192.58 feet The Chehalis Basin Flood Authority has flood inundation maps & river gages for the region on its website.

From Seattle Times • Jan. 7, 2022

As Surrey, he trilled his tongue daringly as he threw down a gage; as a gossiping gardener, he exclaimed a comical “Whaaaaaaaat? Think you the King shall be deposed?”

From New York Times • Jul. 17, 2020

To gage social compatibility: “Can I picture myself in all of these photos standing next to him?”

From Slate • Dec. 24, 2019

“We wanted to get a gage of how seriously they were dealing with this, and we see that they’re looking upon this extremely seriously,” he said.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 7, 2014

"I will take up the gage, if it please the king."

From "A Clash of Kings" by George R.R. Martin

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.