from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Gauge \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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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.
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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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from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Wind \Wind\ (w[i^]nd, in poetry and singing often w[imac]nd;
277), n. [AS. wind; akin to OS., OFries., D., & G. wind, OHG.
wint, Dan. & Sw. vind, Icel. vindr, Goth winds, W. gwynt, L.
ventus, Skr. v[=a]ta (cf. Gr. 'ah`ths a blast, gale, 'ah^nai
to breathe hard, to blow, as the wind); originally a p. pr.
from the verb seen in Skr. v[=a] to blow, akin to AS.
w[=a]wan, D. waaijen, G. wehen, OHG. w[=a]en, w[=a]jen, Goth.
waian. [root]131. Cf. {Air}, {Ventail}, {Ventilate},
{Window}, {Winnow}.]
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1. Air naturally in motion with any degree of velocity; a
current of air.
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Except wind stands as never it stood,
It is an ill wind that turns none to good. --Tusser.
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Winds were soft, and woods were green. --Longfellow.
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2. Air artificially put in motion by any force or action; as,
the wind of a cannon ball; the wind of a bellows.
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3. Breath modulated by the respiratory and vocal organs, or
by an instrument.
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Their instruments were various in their kind,
Some for the bow, and some for breathing wind.
--Dryden.
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4. Power of respiration; breath.
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If my wind were but long enough to say my prayers, I
would repent. --Shak.
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5. Air or gas generated in the stomach or bowels; flatulence;
as, to be troubled with wind.
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6. Air impregnated with an odor or scent.
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A pack of dogfish had him in the wind. --Swift.
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7. A direction from which the wind may blow; a point of the
compass; especially, one of the cardinal points, which are
often called the four winds.
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Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon
these slain. --Ezek.
xxxvii. 9.
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Note: This sense seems to have had its origin in the East.
The Hebrews gave to each of the four cardinal points
the name of wind.
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8. (Far.) A disease of sheep, in which the intestines are
distended with air, or rather affected with a violent
inflammation. It occurs immediately after shearing.
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9. Mere breath or talk; empty effort; idle words.
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Nor think thou with wind
Of airy threats to awe. --Milton.
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10. (Zool.) The dotterel. [Prov. Eng.]
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11. (Boxing) The region of the pit of the stomach, where a
blow may paralyze the diaphragm and cause temporary loss
of breath or other injury; the mark. [Slang or Cant]
[Webster 1913 Suppl.]
Note: Wind is often used adjectively, or as the first part of
compound words.
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{All in the wind}. (Naut.) See under {All}, n.
{Before the wind}. (Naut.) See under {Before}.
{Between wind and water} (Naut.), in that part of a ship's
side or bottom which is frequently brought above water by
the rolling of the ship, or fluctuation of the water's
surface. Hence, colloquially, (as an injury to that part
of a vessel, in an engagement, is particularly dangerous)
the vulnerable part or point of anything.
{Cardinal winds}. See under {Cardinal}, a.
{Down the wind}.
(a) In the direction of, and moving with, the wind; as,
birds fly swiftly down the wind.
(b) Decaying; declining; in a state of decay. [Obs.] "He
went down the wind still." --L'Estrange.
{In the wind's eye} (Naut.), directly toward the point from
which the wind blows.
{Three sheets in the wind}, unsteady from drink. [Sailors'
Slang]
{To be in the wind}, to be suggested or expected; to be a
matter of suspicion or surmise. [Colloq.]
{To carry the wind} (Man.), to toss the nose as high as the
ears, as a horse.
{To raise the wind}, to procure money. [Colloq.]
{To take the wind} or {To have the wind}, to gain or have the
advantage. --Bacon.
{To take the wind out of one's sails}, to cause one to stop,
or lose way, as when a vessel intercepts the wind of
another; to cause one to lose enthusiasm, or momentum in
an activity. [Colloq.]
{To take wind}, or {To get wind}, to be divulged; to become
public; as, the story got wind, or took wind.
{Wind band} (Mus.), a band of wind instruments; a military
band; the wind instruments of an orchestra.
{Wind chest} (Mus.), a chest or reservoir of wind in an
organ.
{Wind dropsy}. (Med.)
(a) Tympanites.
(b) Emphysema of the subcutaneous areolar tissue.
{Wind egg}, an imperfect, unimpregnated, or addled egg.
{Wind furnace}. See the Note under {Furnace}.
{Wind gauge}. See under {Gauge}.
{Wind gun}. Same as {Air gun}.
{Wind hatch} (Mining), the opening or place where the ore is
taken out of the earth.
{Wind instrument} (Mus.), an instrument of music sounded by
means of wind, especially by means of the breath, as a
flute, a clarinet, etc.
{Wind pump}, a pump moved by a windmill.
{Wind rose}, a table of the points of the compass, giving the
states of the barometer, etc., connected with winds from
the different directions.
{Wind sail}.
(a) (Naut.) A wide tube or funnel of canvas, used to
convey a stream of air for ventilation into the lower
compartments of a vessel.
(b) The sail or vane of a windmill.
{Wind shake}, a crack or incoherence in timber produced by
violent winds while the timber was growing.
{Wind shock}, a wind shake.
{Wind side}, the side next the wind; the windward side. [R.]
--Mrs. Browning.
{Wind rush} (Zool.), the redwing. [Prov. Eng.]
{Wind wheel}, a motor consisting of a wheel moved by wind.
{Wood wind} (Mus.), the flutes and reed instruments of an
orchestra, collectively.
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