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]
|
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.]
[1913 Webster]
1. Air naturally in motion with any degree of velocity; a
current of air.
[1913 Webster]
Except wind stands as never it stood,
It is an ill wind that turns none to good. --Tusser.
[1913 Webster]
Winds were soft, and woods were green. --Longfellow.
[1913 Webster]
2. Air artificially put in motion by any force or action; as,
the wind of a cannon ball; the wind of a bellows.
[1913 Webster]
3. Breath modulated by the respiratory and vocal organs, or
by an instrument.
[1913 Webster]
Their instruments were various in their kind,
Some for the bow, and some for breathing wind.
--Dryden.
[1913 Webster]
4. Power of respiration; breath.
[1913 Webster]
If my wind were but long enough to say my prayers, I
would repent. --Shak.
[1913 Webster]
5. Air or gas generated in the stomach or bowels; flatulence;
as, to be troubled with wind.
[1913 Webster]
6. Air impregnated with an odor or scent.
[1913 Webster]
A pack of dogfish had him in the wind. --Swift.
[1913 Webster]
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.
[1913 Webster]
Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon
these slain. --Ezek.
xxxvii. 9.
[1913 Webster]
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.
[1913 Webster]
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.
[1913 Webster]
9. Mere breath or talk; empty effort; idle words.
[1913 Webster]
Nor think thou with wind
Of airy threats to awe. --Milton.
[1913 Webster]
10. (Zool.) The dotterel. [Prov. Eng.]
[1913 Webster]
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.
[1913 Webster]
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.
[1913 Webster]
|