water gauge

American  

noun

1. any device for indicating the height of water in a reservoir, tank, boiler, or other vessel.

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water gauge British  

noun

1. Also called: water glass.  an instrument that indicates the presence or the quantity of water in a tank, reservoir, or boiler feed

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Etymology

Origin of water gauge

First recorded in 1700–10

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

water gauge

The water gauge at the Rhine bottleneck of Kaub, near Koblenz in western Germany, notched a record low in recent days, meaning ships must carry fewer goods to pass through.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 20, 2026

This week, water levels at Kaub—the closely watched water gauge at the shallow stretch of the Rhine downstream from Naegler’s winery—fell below 50 centimeters, or almost 20 inches.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 17, 2026

Find insight on the Kaub water gauge, Canadian travelers, the Strait of Hormuz and more in the latest Market Talks covering auto and transport.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 13, 2026

Operators there encountered a similar problem, where one water gauge malfunctioned, and the other gave an accurate reading.

From New York Times ● Nov. 16, 2018

The more elaborate steriliser is cased with felt or asbestos board, and provided with a water gauge, also a tap for emptying the water compartment.

From The Elements of Bacteriological Technique A Laboratory Guide for Medical, Dental, and Technical Students. Second Edition Rewritten and Enlarged. by J. W. H. (John William Henry) Eyre