Definition

Noun: A device in a vehicle that shows the driver how much fuel (such as gasoline or diesel) remains in the vehicle's fuel tank. It is typically a dial or digital display on the instrument panel.

Usage

The term "fuel gauge" is used to refer specifically to the instrument that measures and displays fuel level. It is a standard component in motor vehicles like cars, trucks, and motorcycles. - Always check your fuel gauge before starting a long trip. - The fuel gauge was showing empty, so I stopped at the nearest gas station.

Advanced Usage

• Technical Context: In automotive engineering, the fuel gauge system consists of a sensing unit (often a float in the tank) and the gauge itself on the dashboard.
  • The mechanic diagnosed the problem as a faulty sending unit for the fuel gauge.

Variants and Related Words

• Fuel indicator: A less common synonym for fuel gauge.
• Gas gauge (primarily US English): A common informal term for a fuel gauge, specifically when referring to gasoline-powered vehicles.
  • My gas gauge isn't very accurate when the tank is half full.

Synonyms

• Fuel indicator
• Gas gauge (informal, US)

Notes

The term "fuel gauge" is a compound noun. Its meaning is specific and should not be confused with other vehicle gauges like the speedometer or temperature gauge.

Noun

1. an indicator of the amount of fuel remaining in a vehicle