gauge
n. countablen. a tool used to measure the exact size, amount, or speed of something. It can also be a way to judge how people feel about a situation.
n. an instrument or device for measuring the magnitude, amount, or contents of something. Also used figuratively to describe a standard of measure or a means of assessing a subjective state.
Check the fuel gauge before we leave.
The manager uses monthly sales figures as a gauge of the new marketing strategy's success.
Engineers monitored the pressure gauge closely during the experiment to ensure the structural integrity of the containment vessel remained within safety parameters.
From Middle English gauge, gaugen, from Anglo-Norman, Old Northern French gauger (compare Modern French jauger from Old French jaugier), from gauge (“gauging rod”), from Frankish galga (“measuring rod, pole”), from Proto-Germanic galgô (“pole, stake, cross”), from Proto-Indo-European ǵʰalgʰ-, ǵʰalg- (“perch, long switch”). Cognate with Old High German galgo, Old Frisian galga, Old English ġealga (“cross-beam, gallows”), Old Norse galgi (“cross-beam, gallows”), Old Norse gelgja (“pole, perch”). Doublet of gallows.
Often used with the preposition 'of' when describing a way to judge a situation.
guagegaugeThis word is frequently misspelled because the 'au' vowel combination is unusual in English.