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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Star \Star\ (st[aum]r), n. [OE. sterre, AS. steorra; akin to
OFries. stera, OS. sterro, D. ster, OHG. sterno, sterro, G.
stern, Icel. stjarna, Sw. stjerna, Dan. stierne, Goth.
sta['i]rn[=o], Armor. & Corn. steren, L. stella, Gr. 'asth`r,
'a`stron, Skr. star; perhaps from a root meaning, to scatter,
Skr. st[.r], L. sternere (cf. Stratum), and originally
applied to the stars as being strewn over the sky, or as
being scatterers or spreaders of light. [root]296. Cf.
Aster, Asteroid, Constellation, Disaster, Stellar.]
1. One of the innumerable luminous bodies seen in the
heavens; any heavenly body other than the sun, moon,
comets, and nebulae.
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His eyen twinkled in his head aright,
As do the stars in the frosty night. --Chaucer.
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Note: The stars are distinguished as planets, and fixed
stars. See Planet, Fixed stars under Fixed, and
Magnitude of a star under Magnitude.
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2. The polestar; the north star. --Shak.
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3. (Astrol.) A planet supposed to influence one's destiny;
(usually pl.) a configuration of the planets, supposed to
influence fortune.
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O malignant and ill-brooding stars. --Shak.
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Blesses his stars, and thinks it luxury. --Addison.
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4. That which resembles the figure of a star, as an ornament
worn on the breast to indicate rank or honor.
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On whom . . .
Lavish Honor showered all her stars. --Tennyson.
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5. Specifically, a radiated mark in writing or printing; an
asterisk [thus, *]; -- used as a reference to a note, or
to fill a blank where something is omitted, etc.
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6. (Pyrotechny) A composition of combustible matter used in
the heading of rockets, in mines, etc., which, exploding
in the air, presents a starlike appearance.
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7. A person of brilliant and attractive qualities, especially
on public occasions, as a distinguished orator, a leading
theatrical performer, etc.
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Note: Star is used in the formation of compound words
generally of obvious signification; as, star-aspiring,
star-bespangled, star-bestudded, star-blasting,
star-bright, star-crowned, star-directed, star-eyed,
star-headed, star-paved, star-roofed, star-sprinkled,
star-wreathed.
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Blazing star, Double star, Multiple star, Shooting
star, etc. See under Blazing, Double, etc.
Nebulous star (Astron.), a small well-defined circular
nebula, having a bright nucleus at its center like a star.
Star anise (Bot.), any plant of the genus Illicium; -- so
called from its star-shaped capsules.
Star apple (Bot.), a tropical American tree (Chrysophyllum
Cainito), having a milky juice and oblong leaves with a
silky-golden pubescence beneath. It bears an applelike
fruit, the carpels of which present a starlike figure when
cut across. The name is extended to the whole genus of
about sixty species, and the natural order (Sapotaceae)
to which it belongs is called the Star-apple family.
Star conner, one who cons, or studies, the stars; an
astronomer or an astrologer. --Gascoigne.
Star coral (Zool.), any one of numerous species of stony
corals belonging to Astraea, Orbicella, and allied
genera, in which the calicles are round or polygonal and
contain conspicuous radiating septa.
Star cucumber. (Bot.) See under Cucumber.
Star flower. (Bot.)
(a) A plant of the genus Ornithogalum;
star-of-Bethlehem.
(b) See Starwort
(b) .
(c) An American plant of the genus Trientalis
(Trientalis Americana). --Gray.
Star fort (Fort.), a fort surrounded on the exterior with
projecting angles; -- whence the name.
Star gauge (Ordnance), a long rod, with adjustable points
projecting radially at its end, for measuring the size of
different parts of the bore of a gun.
Star grass. (Bot.)
(a) A small grasslike plant (Hypoxis erecta) having
star-shaped yellow flowers.
(b) The colicroot. See Colicroot.
Star hyacinth (Bot.), a bulbous plant of the genus Scilla
(Scilla autumnalis); -- called also star-headed
hyacinth.
Star jelly (Bot.), any one of several gelatinous plants
(Nostoc commune, Nostoc edule, etc.). See Nostoc.
Star lizard. (Zool.) Same as Stellion.
Star-of-Bethlehem (Bot.), a bulbous liliaceous plant
(Ornithogalum umbellatum) having a small white starlike
flower.
Star-of-the-earth (Bot.), a plant of the genus Plantago
(Plantago coronopus), growing upon the seashore.
Star polygon (Geom.), a polygon whose sides cut each other
so as to form a star-shaped figure.
Stars and Stripes, a popular name for the flag of the
United States, which consists of thirteen horizontal
stripes, alternately red and white, and a union having, in
a blue field, white stars to represent the several States,
one for each.
With the old flag, the true American flag, the
Eagle, and the Stars and Stripes, waving over the
chamber in which we sit. --D. Webster.
Star showers. See Shooting star, under Shooting.
Star thistle (Bot.), an annual composite plant (Centaurea
solstitialis) having the involucre armed with stout
radiating spines.
Star wheel (Mach.), a star-shaped disk, used as a kind of
ratchet wheel, in repeating watches and the feed motions
of some machines.
Star worm (Zool.), a gephyrean.
Temporary star (Astron.), a star which appears suddenly,
shines for a period, and then nearly or quite disappears.
These stars were supposed by some astronomers to be
variable stars of long and undetermined periods. More
recently, variations star in start intensity are
classified more specifically, and this term is now
obsolescent. See also nova. [Obsolescent]
Variable star (Astron.), a star whose brilliancy varies
periodically, generally with regularity, but sometimes
irregularly; -- called periodical star when its changes
occur at fixed periods.
Water star grass (Bot.), an aquatic plant (Schollera
graminea) with small yellow starlike blossoms.
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