gauge

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

• noun A standard dimension, quantity, or capacity, as.
• noun The distance between the two rails of a railroad.
• noun The distance between two wheels on an axle.
• noun The interior diameter of a shotgun barrel as determined by the number of lead balls of a size exactly fitting the barrel that are required to make one pound. Often used in combination.
• noun The thickness or diameter of sheet metal, wire, or a similar manufactured material or piece.
• noun The fineness of knitted cloth as measured by the number of stitches per a given unit of length.
• noun A standard or scale of measurement.
• noun An instrument for measuring the dimensions, capacity, or amount of something.
• noun A means of estimating or evaluating; a test.
• noun Nautical The position of a vessel in relation to another vessel and the wind.
• transitive verb To measure the dimensions, capacity, proportions, or amount of (something), especially by means of a gauge.
• transitive verb To evaluate or estimate.
• transitive verb To adapt or make conform to a specified standard.
• transitive verb To chip or rub (bricks or stones) to size.
• adjective Of or relating to a gauge.
• adjective Physics Invariant under a local transformation.

from The Century Dictionary.

• noun etc. See gage, etc.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

• transitive verb To measure or determine with a gauge.
• transitive verb To measure or to ascertain the contents or the capacity of, as of a pipe, barrel, or keg.
• transitive verb (Mech.) To measure the dimensions of, or to test the accuracy of the form of, as of a part of a gunlock.
• transitive verb To draw into equidistant gathers by running a thread through it, as cloth or a garment.
• transitive verb To measure the capacity, character, or ability of; to estimate; to judge of.
• noun A measure; a standard of measure; an instrument to determine dimensions, distance, or capacity; a standard.
• noun Measure; dimensions; estimate.
• noun (Mach. & Manuf.) Any instrument for ascertaining or regulating the dimensions or forms of things; a templet or template.
• noun (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
• noun Relative positions of two or more vessels with reference to the wind.
• noun The depth to which a vessel sinks in the water.
• noun The distance between the rails of a railway.
• noun (Plastering) The quantity of plaster of Paris used with common plaster to accelerate its setting.
• noun (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.
• noun etc., the distance between the wheels; -- ordinarily called the track.
• noun a stop cock used as a try cock for ascertaining the height of the water level in a steam boiler.
• noun (Railroads) the jar caused by a car-wheel flange striking the edge of the rail.
• noun a glass tube for a water gauge.
• noun an automatic lathe for turning a round object having an irregular profile, as a baluster or chair round, to a templet or gauge.
• noun 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.
• noun a graduated rod, for measuring the capacity of barrels, casks, etc.
• noun a handsaw, with a gauge to regulate the depth of cut.
• noun a stiff and compact plaster, used in making cornices, moldings, etc., by means of a templet.
• noun a wheel at the forward end of a plow beam, to determine the depth of the furrow.
• noun an instrument used to strike a line parallel to the straight side of a board, etc.
• noun an instrument to regulate the length of the page.
• noun an instrument for measuring the quantity of rain at any given place.
• noun an instrument or contrivance for indicating the degree of saltness of water from its specific gravity, as in the boilers of ocean steamers.
• noun an instrument for finding the depth of the sea.
• noun 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.