gauger
(ˈgeɪdʒə(r))
Forms: 6 gagier, gaugeo(u)r, 7 gawger, -eo(u)r, gaudger, gajor, 6–8 gager, 9 guager, 5– gauger.
[a. AF. gaugeour, agent-n. f. gauger gauge v.1]
1. One who gauges, in senses of the vb.; esp. in sense 3, an exciseman.
| 1483, 1531 [see gauge v.1 3]. 1542 Recorde Gr. Artes (1575) 206 How they do differ daily from their iust measure, y⊇ Gagiers can tell you better than I. 1608 R. Norton tr. Stevin's Disme B iij b, To Land-Meaters, Gaudgers, Stereo⁓meters in generall. 1668 N. Riding Rec. VI. 125 Gajor to His Majesty for the duty of Excise. 1702 Lond. Gaz. No. 3790/5 Every Bushel of Malt, so conveyed from the Sight and View of the Gaugers. 1789 Burns To Dr. Blacklock iv, But what d'ye think, my trusty fier, I'm turned a gauger. 1818 Scott Rob Roy iv, It's e'en because your English gaugers and supervisors..have taen up the trade of thievery over the heads of the native professors. 1887 Stevenson Underwoods i. ii, The gauger walked with willing foot And aye the gauger played the flute. |
| fig. 1856 R. A. Vaughan Mystics (1860) I. 181 Entertained my jovial guager of monks' bellies with the best cheer I had. 1874 Whittier Hum. Sacr. v, Calm gauger of the swelling tide Of mortal agony and fear. |
† 2. One who sells liquor.
Obs. rare—1.
| c 1610 in Gutch Coll. Cur. II. 14 That no Tipler or Gauger sell by other measure than by gallon, pottel [etc.]. |
3. A gauging instrument, a measure.
| 1580 Babington Exp. Lord's Prayer (1596) 200 As with a gager he gageth them by those blessings. 1612 Woodall Surg. Mate Wks. (1653) 314 This Instrument, the Trafine..needeth no rule or gager. 1858 Simmonds Dict. Trade, Gauger..an instrument used by leather cutters. |
Hence
ˈgaugership, the office of a gauger.
| 1881 Nation (N.Y.) XXXIII. 1 Because he does not satisfy them with collectorships, gaugerships, and consulates. |