gauging

[gey-jing]

noun

1. the act of determining the exact dimensions, capacity, quantity, or force of something; measurement.

   Proper mechanical gauging of each connector is essential to ensure correct fit.

   The gauging of the canal boats is carried out at a weigh dock.

2. the act of judging, estimating, or appraising.

   Poker involves the careful gauging of other players’ hidden reactions by reading their faces and movements.

3. the act or process of gradually stretching a pierced body part by wearing increasingly larger objects in the opening.

   The practice of earlobe gauging has become a fairly frequent type of body modification.

Other Word Forms

• self-gauging adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of gauging¹

First recorded in 1425–75; 2005–10 gauging for def. 3; gauge ( def. ) + -ing ¹ ( def. )

Example Sentences

When he was asked about his first season in the major leagues, he said he felt as if his injury prevented him from gauging the level of competition.

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This is also his way of gauging the somm’s interest in having a conversation.

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Still, Schumer began gauging his caucus Monday afternoon on the prospects of a continuing resolution that would in effect delay a shutdown by a week, briefly extending government funding in order to continue negotiations.

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She said in her filing that the police had asked her to conduct a test gauging her eyes’ reaction to stimulus, a “less accurate and subjective test” than the blood test she requested.

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County Vector Control District, which covers the largest portion of the county, is currently gauging whether its homeowners will pay up to $20 a year to expand its sterile male release program.

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Related Words

• appraisal 
• assessment 
• conclusion 
• estimation 
• evaluation 
• guess 
• measure 
• measurement 
• opinion 
• projection 
• rating 
• survey 
• valuation