weather gauge

American  

noun

1. Nautical. gauge19

2. the position of advantage; upper hand.

   Having bought out her competitors, she now has the weather gauge in the industry.

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Etymology

Origin of weather gauge

First recorded in 1890–95

Example Sentences

The Salt Lake Tribune reports that a weather gauge near the top of Little Cottonwood Canyon east of Salt Lake City shows that fewer than 50 inches of snow had fallen by Jan. 1.

From Seattle Times

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

The bottle made a handy weather gauge, because it was as frosty as the greens. 

From Golf Digest

Having the weather gauge, she soon ranged up and opened fire.

From Project Gutenberg

The action began in a strong wind that, blowing athwart the tide, raised such a steep sea that most of our ships were unable to open their lee'ard lower-deck ports, a misfortune that more than outbalanced our advantage in having the weather gauge.

From Project Gutenberg