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6 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 ]

  Wire \Wire\ (w[imac]r), n. [OE. wir, AS. wir; akin to Icel.
     v[=i]rr, Dan. vire, LG. wir, wire; cf. OHG. wiara fine gold;
     perhaps akin to E. withy. [root]141.]
     [1913 Webster]
     1. A thread or slender rod of metal; a metallic substance
        formed to an even thread by being passed between grooved
        rollers, or drawn through holes in a plate of steel.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     Note: Wire is made of any desired form, as round, square,
           triangular, etc., by giving this shape to the hole in
           the drawplate, or between the rollers.
           [1913 Webster]
  
     2. A telegraph wire or cable; hence, an electric telegraph;
        as, to send a message by wire. [Colloq.]
        [1913 Webster]
  
     3. Chiefly in pl. The system of wires used to operate the
        puppets in a puppet show; hence (Chiefly Political Slang),
        the network of hidden influences controlling the action of
        a person or organization; as, to pull the wires for
        office; -- in this sense, synonymous with strings.
        [Webster 1913 Suppl. +PJC]
  
     4. One who picks women's pockets. [Thieves' Slang]
        [Webster 1913 Suppl.]
  
     5. A knitting needle. [Scot.]
        [Webster 1913 Suppl.]
  
     6. A wire stretching across over a race track at the judges'
        stand, to mark the line at which the races end. [Racing
        Cant]
        [Webster 1913 Suppl.]
  
     Wire bed, Wire mattress, an elastic bed bottom or
        mattress made of wires interwoven or looped together in
        various ways.
  
     Wire bridge, a bridge suspended from wires, or cables made
        of wire.
  
     Wire cartridge, a shot cartridge having the shot inclosed
        in a wire cage.
  
     Wire cloth, a coarse cloth made of woven metallic wire, --
        used for strainers, and for various other purposes.
  
     Wire edge, the thin, wirelike thread of metal sometimes
        formed on the edge of a tool by the stone in sharpening
        it.
  
     Wire fence, a fence consisting of posts with strained
        horizontal wires, wire netting, or other wirework,
        between.
  
     Wire gauge or Wire gage.
        (a) A gauge for measuring the diameter of wire, thickness
            of sheet metal, etc., often consisting of a metal
            plate with a series of notches of various widths in
            its edge.
        (b) A standard series of sizes arbitrarily indicated, as
            by numbers, to which the diameter of wire or the
            thickness of sheet metal in usually made, and which is
            used in describing the size or thickness. There are
            many different standards for wire gauges, as in
            different countries, or for different kinds of metal,
            the Birmingham wire gauges and the American wire gauge
            being often used and designated by the abbreviations
            B. W. G. and A. W. G. respectively.
  
     Wire gauze, a texture of finely interwoven wire, resembling
        gauze.
  
     Wire grass (Bot.), either of the two common grasses
        Eleusine Indica, valuable for hay and pasture, and Poa
        compressa, or blue grass. See Blue grass.
  
     Wire grub (Zo["o]l.), a wireworm.
  
     Wire iron, wire rods of iron.
  
     Wire lathing, wire cloth or wire netting applied in the
        place of wooden lathing for holding plastering.
  
     Wire mattress. See Wire bed, above.
  
     Wire micrometer, a micrometer having spider lines, or fine
        wires, across the field of the instrument.
  
     Wire nail, a nail formed of a piece of wire which is headed
        and pointed.
  
     Wire netting, a texture of woven wire coarser than ordinary
        wire gauze.
  
     Wire rod, a metal rod from which wire is formed by drawing.
        
  
     Wire rope, a rope formed wholly, or in great part, of
        wires.
  
     down to the wire, up to the last moment, as in a race or
        competition; as, the two front runners were neck-and-neck
        down to the wire. From wire[6].
  
     under the wire, just in time; shortly before the deadline;
        as, to file an application just under the wire.
        [1913 Webster]

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

  Wire \Wire\, n. [OE. wir, AS. wir; akin to Icel. v[=i]rr, Dan.
     vire, LG. wir, wire; cf. OHG. wiara fine gold; perhaps akin
     to E. withy. ????.]
     1. A thread or slender rod of metal; a metallic substance
        formed to an even thread by being passed between grooved
        rollers, or drawn through holes in a plate of steel.
  
     Note: Wire is made of any desired form, as round, square,
           triangular, etc., by giving this shape to the hole in
           the drawplate, or between the rollers.
  
     2. A telegraph wire or cable; hence, an electric telegraph;
        as, to send a message by wire. [Colloq.]
  
     Wire bed, Wire mattress, an elastic bed bottom or
        mattress made of wires interwoven or looped together in
        various ways.
  
     Wire bridge, a bridge suspended from wires, or cables made
        of wire.
  
     Wire cartridge, a shot cartridge having the shot inclosed
        in a wire cage.
  
     Wire cloth, a coarse cloth made of woven metallic wire, --
        used for strainers, and for various other purposes.
  
     Wire edge, the thin, wirelike thread of metal sometimes
        formed on the edge of a tool by the stone in sharpening
        it.
  
     Wire fence, a fence consisting of posts with strained
        horizontal wires, wire netting, or other wirework,
        between.
  
     Wire gauge or gage.
        (a) A gauge for measuring the diameter of wire, thickness
            of sheet metal, etc., often consisting of a metal
            plate with a series of notches of various widths in
            its edge.
        (b) A standard series of sizes arbitrarily indicated, as
            by numbers, to which the diameter of wire or the
            thickness of sheet metal in usually made, and which is
            used in describing the size or thickness. There are
            many different standards for wire gauges, as in
            different countries, or for different kinds of metal,
            the Birmingham wire gauges and the American wire gauge
            being often used and designated by the abbreviations
            B. W. G. and A. W. G. respectively.
  
     Wire gauze, a texture of finely interwoven wire, resembling
        gauze.
  
     Wire grass (Bot.), either of the two common grasses
        Eleusine Indica, valuable for hay and pasture, and Poa
        compressa, or blue grass. See Blue grass.
  
     Wire grub (Zo["o]l.), a wireworm.
  
     Wire iron, wire rods of iron.
  
     Wire lathing, wire cloth or wire netting applied in the
        place of wooden lathing for holding plastering.
  
     Wire mattress. See Wire bed, above.
  
     Wire micrometer, a micrometer having spider lines, or fine
        wires, across the field of the instrument.
  
     Wire nail, a nail formed of a piece of wire which is headed
        and pointed.
  
     Wire netting, a texture of woven wire coarser than ordinary
        wire gauze.
  
     Wire rod, a metal rod from which wire is formed by drawing.
        
  
     Wire rope, a rope formed wholly, or in great part, of
        wires.

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.

From WordNet (r) 2.0 :   [ wn ]

  wire gauge
       n : gauge for measuring the diameter of wire [syn: wire gage]

From English - German Ding/FreeDict dictionary ver. 1.9-fd1 :   [ freedict:eng-deu ]

  wire gauge /wˈaɪə ɡˈeɪdʒ/
   [Br.] Drahtlehre  [techn.]
        "standard wire gauge"  - genormte Drahtlehre
        "American wire gauge"  - Brown & Sharpe-Drahtlehre, B & S-Drahtlehre
        "Brown and Sharpe wire gauge"  - Brown & Sharpe-Drahtlehre, B & S-Drahtlehre
     Synonym: wire gage
  
   see: wire gauges, wire gages
  

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