GNU Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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Found 3 definitions

  1.       
    Gauge, n. [Written also gage.]
    1. A measure; a standard of measure; an instrument to determine dimensions, distance, or capacity; a standard.

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    This plate must be a gauge to file your worm and groove to equal breadth by. Moxon.

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    There is not in our hands any fixed gauge of minds. I. Taylor.

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    2. Measure; dimensions; estimate.

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    The gauge and dimensions of misery, depression, and contempt. Burke.

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    3. (Mach. & Manuf.) Any instrument for ascertaining or regulating the dimensions or forms of things; a templet or template; as, “a button maker's gauge”.

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    4. (Physics) Any instrument or apparatus for measuring the state of a phenomenon, or for ascertaining its numerical elements at any moment; -- usually applied to some particular instrument; as, “a rain gauge; a steam gauge.”

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    5. (Naut.) (a) Relative positions of two or more vessels with reference to the wind; as, “a vessel has the weather gauge of another when on the windward side of it, and the lee gauge when on the lee side of it”. (b) The depth to which a vessel sinks in the water. Totten.

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    6. The distance between the rails of a railway.

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    ☞ The standard gauge of railroads in most countries is four feet, eight and one half inches. Wide, or broad, gauge, in the United States, is six feet; in England, seven feet, and generally any gauge exceeding standard gauge. Any gauge less than standard gauge is now called narrow gauge. It varies from two feet to three feet six inches.

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    7. (Plastering) The quantity of plaster of Paris used with common plaster to accelerate its setting.

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    8. (Building) That part of a shingle, slate, or tile, which is exposed to the weather, when laid; also, one course of such shingles, slates, or tiles.

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    Gauge of a carriage, car, etc., the distance between the wheels; -- ordinarily called the track. -- Gauge cock, a stop cock used as a try cock for ascertaining the height of the water level in a steam boiler. -- Gauge concussion (Railroads), the jar caused by a car-wheel flange striking the edge of the rail. -- Gauge glass, a glass tube for a water gauge. -- Gauge lathe, an automatic lathe for turning a round object having an irregular profile, as a baluster or chair round, to a templet or gauge. -- Gauge point, the diameter of a cylinder whose altitude is one inch, and contents equal to that of a unit of a given measure; -- a term used in gauging casks, etc. -- Gauge rod, a graduated rod, for measuring the capacity of barrels, casks, etc. -- Gauge saw, a handsaw, with a gauge to regulate the depth of cut. Knight. -- Gauge stuff, a stiff and compact plaster, used in making cornices, moldings, etc., by means of a templet. -- Gauge wheel, a wheel at the forward end of a plow beam, to determine the depth of
    the furrow. -- Joiner's gauge, an instrument used to strike a line parallel to the straight side of a board, etc. -- Printer's gauge, an instrument to regulate the length of the page. -- Rain gauge, an instrument for measuring the quantity of rain at any given place. -- Salt gauge, or Brine gauge, an instrument or contrivance for indicating the degree of saltness of water from its specific gravity, as in the boilers of ocean steamers. -- Sea gauge, an instrument for finding the depth of the sea. -- Siphon gauge, a glass siphon tube, partly filled with mercury, -- used to indicate pressure, as of steam, or the degree of rarefaction produced in the receiver of an air pump or other vacuum; a manometer. -- Sliding gauge. (Mach.) (a) A templet or pattern for gauging the commonly accepted dimensions or shape of certain parts in general use, as screws, railway-car axles, etc. (b) A gauge used only for testing other similar gauges, and preserved as a reference, to detect wear of the working gauges. (c) (Railroads)
    See Note under Gauge, n., 5. -- Star gauge (Ordnance), an instrument for measuring the diameter of the bore of a cannon at any point of its length. -- Steam gauge, an instrument for measuring the pressure of steam, as in a boiler. -- Tide gauge, an instrument for determining the height of the tides. -- Vacuum gauge, a species of barometer for determining the relative elasticities of the vapor in the condenser of a steam engine and the air. -- Water gauge. (a) A contrivance for indicating the height of a water surface, as in a steam boiler; as by a gauge cock or glass. (b) The height of the water in the boiler. -- Wind gauge, an instrument for measuring the force of the wind on any given surface; an anemometer. -- Wire gauge, a gauge for determining the diameter of wire or the thickness of sheet metal; also, a standard of size. See under Wire.

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  2.       
    Track (?), n. [OF. trac track of horses, mules, trace of animals; of Teutonic origin; cf.D. trek a drawing, trekken to draw, travel, march, MHG. trechen, pret. trach.  Cf. Trick.]
    1. A mark left by something that has passed along; as, “the track, or wake, of a ship; the track of a meteor; the track of a sled or a wheel.”

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    The bright track of his fiery car. Shak.

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    2. A mark or impression left by the foot, either of man or beast; trace; vestige; footprint.

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    Far from track of men. Milton.

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    3. (Zool.) The entire lower surface of the foot; -- said of birds, etc.

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    4. A road; a beaten path.

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    Behold Torquatus the same track pursue. Dryden.

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    5. Course; way; as, “the track of a comet”.

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    6. A path or course laid out for a race, for exercise, etc.

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    7. (Railroad) The permanent way; the rails.

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    8. [Perhaps a mistake for tract.] A tract or area, as of land. [Obs.] “Small tracks of ground.” Fuller.

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    Track scale, a railway scale. See under Railway.

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  3.       
    Track, v. t. [imp. & p. p. tracked (?); p. pr. & vb. n. tracking.] To follow the tracks or traces of; to pursue by following the marks of the feet; to trace; to trail; as, “to track a deer in the snow”.

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    It was often found impossible to track the robbers to their retreats among the hills and morasses. Macaulay.

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    2. (Naut.) To draw along continuously, as a vessel, by a line, men or animals on shore being the motive power; to tow.

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