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.
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Gauge"a*ble (?), a. Capable of being gauged.
Gauged (?), p. a. Tested or measured by, or conformed to, a gauge.
Gauged brick, brick molded, rubbed, or cut to an exact size and shape,
for arches or ornamental work. -- Gauged mortar. See Gauge stuff, under
Gauge, n.
Gau"ger (?), n. One who gauges; an officer whose business it is to
ascertain the contents of casks.
Gau"ger-ship, n. The office of a gauger.
Gau"ging rod`. See Gauge rod, under Gauge, n.
Gaul (?), n. [F. Gaule, fr. L. Gallia, fr. Gallus a Gaul.] 1. The
Anglicized form of Gallia, which in the time of the Romans included
France and Upper Italy (Transalpine and Cisalpine Gaul).