gauge
carefully estimate amount or mood
to guess something carefully, using information or experience, not an exact measurement
to gauge [something]
- It’s hard to gauge how customers will respond to the new design.
- The manager tried to gauge the mood of the team before announcing the changes.
- Politicians use social media to gauge public opinion on major issues.
- We need to gauge interest before we invest money in the project.
- From his silence, I couldn’t gauge whether he agreed or not.
- The teacher wants to gauge what the students already know.
- I looked at her face to gauge if she was happy.
- The company sent a survey to gauge customer interest.
- It is difficult to gauge how long the work will take.
- He asked many questions to gauge my level of English.
measure exactly with a device
to measure how big, deep, or strong something is, usually with a special tool
to gauge [size/pressure/temperature]
- Technicians use this device to gauge the pressure inside the pipes.
- Before painting, you should gauge the moisture level in the wall.
- The engineer gauged the thickness of the metal sheets.
- Divers must gauge the depth carefully before going down further.
- We need to gauge the temperature of the engine to avoid overheating.
- He used a tool to gauge the size of the hole.
- The mechanic gauged the pressure in the car tires.
- You should gauge the depth of the water before you jump.
- The doctor gauged my blood oxygen level with a small device.
- Workers gauged the distance between the two buildings.
instrument that shows an amount
a tool or part of a machine that shows how much of something there is, like fuel, heat, or pressure
a [type] gauge
- The fuel gauge on my car is broken, so I never know when the tank is empty.
- Check the pressure gauge to make sure the boiler is safe.
- The temperature gauge shows that the engine is overheating.
- Most modern aircraft have digital gauges instead of old-style dials.
- The water gauge on the side of the tank helps you see how full it is.
- I looked at the fuel gauge and saw it was on empty.
- The pressure gauge shows if the air in the tire is low.
- There is a temperature gauge on the oven door.
- The car has many gauges on the dashboard.
- The oil gauge tells the driver if there is a problem.
standard size or thickness rating
a number or name that shows how thick, wide, or big something is, like wire, needles, or rail tracks
[number]-gauge [material]
- Use a thicker wire; this gauge is too light for that amount of current.
- The nurse chose a smaller needle gauge for the child.
- Different countries historically used different rail gauges on their train tracks.
- The pipes come in various gauges, depending on how much water they need to carry.
- These guitar strings are a heavier gauge than the ones you used before.
- He bought 12-gauge wire for the project.
- The nurse asked which needle gauge I preferred.
- This shotgun uses a different gauge of ammunition.
- The two rail lines have a different gauge, so the trains cannot use both.
- We need a thicker gauge of metal for this part.
indicator of a level or quality
a thing that helps you understand how high, low, good, or bad something is
a [adjective] gauge of [something]
- Exam results are only one gauge of a student’s ability.
- Audience size is a useful gauge of public interest in the show.
- Your reaction is a good gauge of how ready the team is for change.
- Customer reviews can be a rough gauge of product quality.
- Crime statistics are often used as a gauge of how safe an area is.
- Money is not the only gauge of success.
- Test scores are a poor gauge of real knowledge.
- The number of views is a good gauge of how popular the video is.
- This survey is a simple gauge of customer happiness.
- Attendance is a rough gauge of student interest.
adjust to a chosen standard size
to change something so its size or strength is right for a special use or rule
to be gauged to [fit/match something]
- The springs are carefully gauged to support the weight of the door.
- This content is gauged for younger audiences.
- The safety system is gauged to withstand extreme temperatures.
- The components must be precisely gauged to fit together with no gaps.
- The dosage is gauged according to the patient’s weight.
- The machine is gauged to work with heavy loads.
- The lesson is gauged for beginner students.
- The walls were gauged to the correct thickness.
- The dose is gauged to the size of the animal.
- The parts are gauged so they fit perfectly.
- Base: gauge
- Plural: gauges
- Base: gauge
- 3rd Person Singular: gauges
- Present Participle: gauging
- Past: gauged
a good gauge of
1reliable sign of level or quality
something that shows clearly how high, low, good, or bad something else is
- Repeat business is a good gauge of customer satisfaction.
- How quickly people respond is a good gauge of their interest.
fuel gauge
1instrument showing fuel level
a part in a car, motorbike, etc. that shows how much fuel is left in the tank
- The fuel gauge was almost on empty, so we stopped at the next gas station.
- My car doesn’t have a working fuel gauge, so I refill it often just in case.
gauge interest
1estimate how interested people are
to find out how many people are interested in something and how strong their interest is
- We sent out a short survey to gauge interest in the new course.
- The city held a public meeting to gauge interest in the planned park.
gauge the mood
1estimate how people feel overall
to try to understand what most people in a group feel or think at a moment
- The coach tried to gauge the mood in the locker room after the loss.
- Before making any big changes, the manager wanted to gauge the mood of the staff.
gauge the reaction
1assess how people respond
to see and understand how people answer, respond, or feel after something happens
- They released a short video to gauge the reaction before finishing the full campaign.
- The company raised prices slightly to gauge the reaction from customers.
gauge the situation
1assess what is happening now
to look closely at what is happening so you can understand it and decide what to do
- Let’s take a moment to gauge the situation before we react.
- Rescue workers first gauged the situation and then decided where to send help.
pressure gauge
1instrument that measures pressure
a tool that shows how strong the air or liquid pressure is inside something
- The technician checked the pressure gauge on the boiler.
- You can use a small pressure gauge to test your tire pressure at home.
temperature gauge
1instrument showing temperature
a device that shows the temperature of something, for example an engine or room
- Keep an eye on the temperature gauge so the engine doesn’t overheat.
- The temperature gauge on the oven shows when it is hot enough to cook.