weather gauge
Americannoun
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Nautical. gauge19
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the position of advantage; upper hand.
Having bought out her competitors, she now has the weather gauge in the industry.
Etymology
Origin of weather gauge
First recorded in 1890–95
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 Esmeraldo Weather Center in Camagüey registered winds of more than 124 miles per hour before part of the weather gauge blew off.
From New York Times ● Sep. 9, 2017
I have to be kind of sharp and straight up and down in my dealin's; they'd get the weather gauge on me a dozen times a day if I wa'n't.
From Thankful's Inheritance by Lincoln, Joseph Crosby
They do not fear to press her," observed the master gunner, "though they do not seek to gain the weather gauge.
From The Quest of the 'Golden Hope' A Seventeenth Century Story of Adventure by Westerman, Percy F. (Percy Francis)
They did not, however, advance directly towards them, but bore up closely into the wind until they had gained the weather gauge of the enemy.
From When London Burned : a Story of Restoration Times and the Great Fire by Henty, G. A. (George Alfred)
We’ll get the weather gauge on her, for she doesn’t smell sweet.”
From The Island of Gold A Sailor's Yarn by Stables, Gordon
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.