catflap.org Online Dictionary Query


Query string:
Search type:
Database:

Database copyright information
Server information


4 definitions found
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 :   [ gcide ]

  Gauge \Gauge\, n. [Written also gage.]
     1. A measure; a standard of measure; an instrument to
        determine dimensions, distance, or capacity; a standard.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              This plate must be a gauge to file your worm and
              groove to equal breadth by.           --Moxon.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              There is not in our hands any fixed gauge of minds.
                                                    --I. Taylor.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. Measure; dimensions; estimate.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              The gauge and dimensions of misery, depression, and
              contempt.                             --Burke.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     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.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     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.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     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.
            [1913 Webster]
  
     6. The distance between the rails of a railway.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     Note: 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.
           [1913 Webster]
  
     7. (Plastering) The quantity of plaster of Paris used with
        common plaster to accelerate its setting.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     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.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     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.
        [1913 Webster]

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 :   [ gcide ]

  Siphon \Si"phon\, n. [F. siphon, L. sipho, -onis, fr. Gr. ??? a
     siphon, tube, pipe.]
     1. A device, consisting of a pipe or tube bent so as to form
        two branches or legs of unequal length, by which a liquid
        can be transferred to a lower level, as from one vessel to
        another, over an intermediate elevation, by the action of
        the pressure of the atmosphere in forcing the liquid up
        the shorter branch of the pipe immersed in it, while the
        continued excess of weight of the liquid in the longer
        branch (when once filled) causes a continuous flow. The
        flow takes place only when the discharging extremity of
        the pipe ia lower than the higher liquid surface, and when
        no part of the pipe is higher above the surface than the
        same liquid will rise by atmospheric pressure; that is,
        about 33 feet for water, and 30 inches for mercury, near
        the sea level.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. (Zo["o]l.)
        (a) One of the tubes or folds of the mantle border of a
            bivalve or gastropod mollusk by which water is
            conducted into the gill cavity. See Illust. under
            Mya, and Lamellibranchiata.
        (b) The anterior prolongation of the margin of any
            gastropod shell for the protection of the soft siphon.
        (c) The tubular organ through which water is ejected from
            the gill cavity of a cephaloid. It serves as a
            locomotive organ, by guiding and confining the jet of
            water. Called also siphuncle. See Illust. under
            Loligo, and Dibranchiata.
        (d) The siphuncle of a cephalopod shell.
        (e) The sucking proboscis of certain parasitic insects and
            crustaceans.
        (f) A sproutlike prolongation in front of the mouth of
            many gephyreans.
        (g) A tubular organ connected both with the esophagus and
            the intestine of certain sea urchins and annelids.
            [1913 Webster]
  
     3. A siphon bottle.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     Inverted siphon, a tube bent like a siphon, but having the
        branches turned upward; specifically (Hydraulic
        Engineering), a pipe for conducting water beneath a
        depressed place, as from one hill to another across an
        intervening valley, following the depression of the
        ground.
  
     Siphon barometer. See under Barometer.
  
     Siphon bottle, a bottle for holding a["e]rated water, which
        is driven out through a bent tube in the neck by the gas
        within the bottle when a valve in the tube is opened; --
        called also gazogene, and siphoid.
  
     Siphon condenser, a condenser for a steam engine, in which
        the vacuum is maintained by the downward flow of water
        through a vertical pipe of great height.
  
     Siphon cup, a cup with a siphon attached for carrying off
        any liquid in it; specifically (Mach.), an oil cup in
        which oil is carried over the edge of a tube in a cotton
        wick, and so reaches the surface to be lubricated.
  
     Siphon gauge. See under Gauge.
  
     Siphon pump, a jet pump. See under Jet, n.
        [1913 Webster]

From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) :   [ web1913 ]

  
  
     Siphon condenser, a condenser for a steam engine, in which
        the vacuum is maintained by the downward flow of water
        through a vertical pipe of great height.
  
     Siphon cup, a cup with a siphon attached for carrying off
        any liquid in it; specifically (Mach.), an oil cup in
        which oil is carried over the edge of a tube in a cotton
        wick, and so reaches the surface to be lubricated.
  
     Siphon gauge. See under Gauge.
  
     Siphon pump, a jet pump. See under Jet, n.

From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) :   [ web1913 ]

  Gauge \Gauge\, n. [Written also gage.]
     1. A measure; a standard of measure; an instrument to
        determine dimensions, distance, or capacity; a standard.
  
              This plate must be a gauge to file your worm and
              groove to equal breadth by.           --Moxon.
  
              There is not in our hands any fixed gauge of minds.
                                                    --I. Taylor.
  
     2. Measure; dimensions; estimate.
  
              The gauge and dimensions of misery, depression, and
              contempt.                             --Burke.
  
     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.
  
     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.
  
     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.
  
     6. The distance between the rails of a railway.
  
     Note: 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.
  
     7. (Plastering) The quantity of plaster of Paris used with
        common plaster to accelerate its setting.
  
     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.
  
     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.

Questions or comments about this site? Contact dictionary@catflap.org
Access Stats