For those of you who have ever asked yourself whether to use the word gage or gauge when writing, this post is for you.
And for those who know the difference and never have tripped over the proper usage or spelling of either of these two words, then you may still learn something new; I know I did.
The first thing you need to know is that gage and gauge are homophones.
The next thing you need to know is that, depending on who you talk to or what you read, they may or may not be interchangeable.
And last, but not least, you need to understand their definitions. I’ll cover that in this post, and then give you a “pass” toward the end of the post to do what you’d like regarding their usage.
Let’s talk about the word “gage.”
The reason many people believe the word gage is just a variant spelling of the word gauge probably relates to its lack of use in today’s language.
With roots in the 14th and 15th centuries, the noun form of gage refers to something, like a dueling glove, thrown down by a knight as a sign the owner was ready for a challenge.
The verb form of gage means “to pledge, to stake or, to wager.”
In the case of William Shakespeare, “throw up” means “give up” or “surrender”. So, “Cousin, throw up your gage” is an old school way of asking someone to cancel the challenge.
Obviously, this form of the word is lost on the majority of people today.
When was the last time you attended a duel?
Another use of the noun form of gage is a surety given in security of an obligation or in lieu of a loan.
So, in this instance gage could be synonymous with a down-payment (for instance, on a layaway item you pay toward and will return to pay the remaining balance).
So, what about the word “gauge” then?
There are many familiar and current uses of the word gauge.
As a noun, it can be a standard of measure, dimension, size, quantity, or mechanical accuracy.
A gauge is any device or instrument for measuring, registering measurements or testing. Pressure gauges and temperature gauges are two examples.
A gauge is also the distance between the inner edges of the heads of parallel tracks in railways.
The meaning of the word gauge in the photo above is a benchmark, a touchstone, or maybe even a test.
In this case, the verb form, to gauge, it is used to measure, estimate or make a judgment.
I’m delivering on my promise of a “pass.”.
For the purpose of this post, and because I don’t feel like being the Mean Ol’ Schoolmarm today, I’m giving you a pass.
If you want to drop the “u” and write gage to mean gauge, that’s your choice.
It is yet another example of how language changes and what was once a steadfast rule has nearly disappeared.
If you do choose to relax the “proper” usage, heed these two warnings:
1. Don’t do it in a formal essay for English Composition because your teacher will know the difference; I promise.
2. Turn off your spellcheck because your word processing software doesn’t care that you tossed the rule to the wind, and it doesn’t like gage, period. You’ll have squiggly lines all over your page.
Oh, and before I go…the word “gouge” has nothing to do with gage or gauge. Don’t mix them up. Someone may very well gouge out your eyes if you do.
Heather Sanders is a freelance writer who prefers to stay home and work while homeschooling her three kids. If you’d like to learn how to pursue your passions and earn an income while working from home, subscribe today.