Definition

1. Noun:

   • A measuring instrument: A device for measuring and indicating a quantity, such as thickness, pressure, or amount of rain.
   • A pledge or token of challenge: Something, such as a glove, thrown down as a symbol of a challenge to fight.
   • Something deposited as security; a pawn: An item given as a guarantee for a loan or obligation.
   • (Slang) Marijuana: A street name for the cannabis plant.

2. Verb:

   • To pledge or stake as security: To deposit something as a guarantee or pawn.
   • To offer as a challenge: To throw down a gage (like a glove) as a challenge.
   • To bet or wager: To place a bet on something.

Usage Examples

• Noun (Measuring Instrument):

  • The pressure gage showed a dangerous reading.
  • Check the rain gage to see how much precipitation we received.

• Noun (Token of Challenge):

  • The knight threw down his gage, demanding satisfaction for the insult.

• Noun (Security/Pawn):

  • He left his watch as a gage for the loan.

• Noun (Slang: Marijuana):

  • He was caught with some gage in his pocket.

• Verb (To Pledge):

  • He had to gage his family's heirloom to pay the debt.

• Verb (To Bet):

  • I'll gage ten dollars on the home team to win.

Advanced Usage

• "To throw down the gage": To issue a formal challenge.

  • By publicly accusing him of lying, she effectively threw down the gage.

• "In gage of": As a pledge or security for.

  • The land was held in gage of the treaty's fulfillment.

Variants and Related Words

• Gauge: The more common modern spelling for the measuring instrument and its related verb meanings (to measure, estimate, or standardize). "Gage" is an accepted variant, but "gauge" is predominant.

  • The fuel gauge was broken.
  • It's hard to gauge his true intentions.

• Engagement: A formal agreement or pledge, related to the "pledge" sense of gage.

Synonyms

• Noun (Instrument): Meter, indicator, measure.
• Noun (Pledge): Pawn, security, collateral, pledge.
• Noun (Challenge): Challenge, defiance.
• Verb (Bet): Bet, wager, stake, back.
• Verb (Pledge): Pawn, pledge, hock.

Related Phrasal Verbs/Constructions

(While "gage" itself does not commonly form phrasal verbs, the related verb "gauge" does.) - Gauge by: To judge or estimate using a particular standard. - You can't gauge a person's character by their appearance alone.

Related Idioms

• The gage is thrown: A challenge has been issued.
  • With that lawsuit, the gage is thrown; a long legal battle is now inevitable.

Noun

1. a measuring instrument for measuring and indicating a quantity such as the thickness of wire or the amount of rain etc.
2. street names for marijuana

Verb

1. place a bet on
   • Which horse are you backing?
   • I'm betting on the new horse