gage

Gage is a term with several related meanings in English. Historically, a gage refers to a pledge or security given to guarantee the fulfillment of an obligation. In feudal and contract contexts, property or other valuables could be placed as a gage to secure a debt or promise. The act of offering such a pledge could also be described with the verb form “to gage.”

In modern usage, gage is primarily encountered as an archaic or dialectal variant of gauge. In this sense, it denotes a measuring instrument or standard used to determine or verify dimensions, quantity, or other specifications. The more common modern spelling is gauge, and gage appears mainly in historical texts or specific technical terms and proper names.

Gage also appears as a surname and, less commonly, as a place name in various regions. The term's historical root is Old French gage, meaning a pledge or security, and the sense relating to measurement tools developed later as the concept of a standard or gauge of accuracy spread in engineering and commerce.

In summary, gage most often denotes a historical pledge or a variant spelling of gauge in technical contexts, with contemporary use primarily preserved in names and in older texts. See also gauge, pledge, collateral, and feudal terms for related concepts.