broad gauge

¹

noun

, Railroads.

1. gauge15

broad-gauge

²

or broad-gauged

[ brawd-geyj ]

adjective

1. Railroads. of or relating to equipment designed for a railroad having track of a broad gauge:

   broad-gauge rolling stock.

2. of wide scope, application, or experience:

   broad-gauge efforts to improve the health of our citizens.

broad gauge

noun

1. a railway track with a greater distance between the lines than the standard gauge of 56 1 2 inches (about 1.44 metres) used now by most mainline railway systems

adjective

1. of, relating to, or denoting a railway having this track

Word History and Origins

Origin of broad gauge¹

First recorded in 1835–45

Origin of broad gauge²

1835–45, for an earlier sense

Example Sentences

The extensions of the broad-gauge companies are, it is estimated, to cost 9,000 per mile for track and stations alone.

From Project Gutenberg

At Mladinovatz all this mass of commissariat and suffering must needs be transferred from or to the broad-gauge line.

From Project Gutenberg

Little notion had she of the broad gauge those questions would run upon.

From Project Gutenberg

Locomotive and atmospheric lines, broad-gauge and narrow-gauge lines, were granted without hesitation.

From Project Gutenberg

For variety, I took the broad-gauge road, but found little difference in the country through which we passed.

From Project Gutenberg