gauging

[ gey-jing ]

noun

1. the act of determining the exact dimensions, capacity, quantity, or force of something; measurement:

   Proper mechanical gauging of each connector is essential to ensure correct fit.

   The gauging of the canal boats is carried out at a weigh dock.

2. the act of judging, estimating, or appraising:

   Poker involves the careful gauging of other players’ hidden reactions by reading their faces and movements.

3. the act or process of gradually stretching a pierced body part by wearing increasingly larger objects in the opening:

   The practice of earlobe gauging has become a fairly frequent type of body modification.

Other Words From

• self-gaug·ing adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of gauging¹

First recorded in 1425–75; 2005–10 gauging fordef 3; gauge ( def ) + -ing ¹( def )

Example Sentences

But these features work by tracking head position and amplifying the sound coming from a specific direction, rather than gauging distance.

From Science Daily

California officials also want all medical facilities in the state to use an existing screening tool for gauging the risk levels of pregnant patients.

From Los Angeles Times

For now, the band haven't promised the world - they're gauging reaction to the tour first, a tour which itself was a surprise.

From BBC

Like most comics, she spent her career developing material by gauging the response of the crowd but must confront a problem familiar to superstar stand-ups.

From New York Times

In season’s past, gauging when there would be large crowds at T-Mobile Park wasn’t difficult.

From Seattle Times

Related Words

• appraisal
• assessment
• conclusion
• estimation
• evaluation
• guess
• measure
• measurement
• opinion
• projection
• rating
• survey
• valuation