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
Salt \Salt\, a. [Compar. {Salter}; superl. {Saltest}.] [AS.
sealt, salt. See {Salt}, n.]
1. Of or relating to salt; abounding in, or containing, salt;
prepared or preserved with, or tasting of, salt; salted;
as, salt beef; salt water. "Salt tears." --Chaucer.
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2. Overflowed with, or growing in, salt water; as, a salt
marsh; salt grass.
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3. Fig.: Bitter; sharp; pungent.
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I have a salt and sorry rheum offends me. --Shak.
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4. Fig.: Salacious; lecherous; lustful. --Shak.
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{Salt acid} (Chem.), hydrochloric acid.
{Salt block}, an apparatus for evaporating brine; a salt
factory. --Knight.
{Salt bottom}, a flat piece of ground covered with saline
efflorescences. [Western U.S.] --Bartlett.
{Salt cake} (Chem.), the white caked mass, consisting of
sodium sulphate, which is obtained as the product of the
first stage in the manufacture of soda, according to
Leblanc's process.
{Salt fish}.
(a) Salted fish, especially cod, haddock, and similar
fishes that have been salted and dried for food.
(b) A marine fish.
{Salt garden}, an arrangement for the natural evaporation of
sea water for the production of salt, employing large
shallow basins excavated near the seashore.
{Salt gauge}, an instrument used to test the strength of
brine; a salimeter.
{Salt horse}, salted beef. [Slang]
{Salt junk}, hard salt beef for use at sea. [Slang]
{Salt lick}. See {Lick}, n.
{Salt marsh}, grass land subject to the overflow of salt
water.
{Salt-marsh caterpillar} (Zool.), an American bombycid moth
({Spilosoma acraea} which is very destructive to the
salt-marsh grasses and to other crops. Called also {woolly
bear}. See Illust. under {Moth}, {Pupa}, and {Woolly
bear}, under {Woolly}.
{Salt-marsh fleabane} (Bot.), a strong-scented composite herb
({Pluchea camphorata}) with rayless purplish heads,
growing in salt marshes.
{Salt-marsh hen} (Zool.), the clapper rail. See under {Rail}.
{Salt-marsh terrapin} (Zool.), the diamond-back.
{Salt mine}, a mine where rock salt is obtained.
{Salt pan}.
(a) A large pan used for making salt by evaporation; also,
a shallow basin in the ground where salt water is
evaporated by the heat of the sun.
(b) pl. Salt works.
{Salt pit}, a pit where salt is obtained or made.
{Salt rising}, a kind of yeast in which common salt is a
principal ingredient. [U.S.]
{Salt raker}, one who collects salt in natural salt ponds, or
inclosures from the sea.
{Salt sedative} (Chem.), boracic acid. [Obs.]
{Salt spring}, a spring of salt water.
{Salt tree} (Bot.), a small leguminous tree ({Halimodendron
argenteum}) growing in the salt plains of the Caspian
region and in Siberia.
{Salt water}, water impregnated with salt, as that of the
ocean and of certain seas and lakes; sometimes, also,
tears.
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Mine eyes are full of tears, I can not see;
And yet salt water blinds them not so much
But they can see a sort of traitors here. --Shak.
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{Salt-water sailor}, an ocean mariner.
{Salt-water tailor}. (Zool.) See {Bluefish}.
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