▪ I. gage, n.1
(geɪdʒ)
Also 6 gauge, gayge, guage, 6–7 gadge.
[a. OF. g(u)age (F. gage) masc. = Pr. gage-s, Sp., Pg. gage, It. gaggio:—Rom. *gwadjo, a. OTeut. *wadjo{supm}: see wed. The OF. variant wa(i)ge was adopted in the form wage.]
1. Something of value deposited to ensure the performance of some action, and liable to forfeiture in case of non-performance; a pawn, pledge, security.
| 1457 Lichfield Gild Ord. (1890) 19 Poore men dwelling within the citie aboueseid.. may be releeved by a sufficient gage or pledge leyd in-to the seyd cofre for borowing mony of the same. 1513–4 Act 5 Hen. VIII, c. 1 He shal..bring in sufficient gage and plegge..into the Kynges Court of Chauncerie or els to remayn in warde. 1614 Raleigh Hist. World iv. i. §1. 160 He also left Philip..for the gage of his promises to Pelopidas. 1690 Locke Hum. Und. iv. xix. Wks. 1714 I. 330 The Arguments that gain it Assent are the Vouchers and Gage of its Probability to us. 1765 H. Walpole Otranto iii. (1798) 52 ‘Here take my gage’ [a ring]. 1768 Blackstone Comm. iii. xix, The sheriff is commanded to attach him, by taking gage, that is certain of his goods which he shall forfeit if he doth not appear. 1867 Ouida C. Castlemaine (1879) 15 This shall be my gage, that I may speak. |
b. In phrases, at gage, (to deliver, give, leave) in gage, (to lay, lie, sweep) to gage, (to give) under gage, upon gage; also in gage of.
| 1523 Ld. Berners Froiss. I. ccliii. 375 The towne of Doway and Lisle delyuered in gage for money, y{supt} [etc.]. 1534 ― Gold. Bk. M. Aurelius (1546) Z iv b, We put our lyfe in daunger, and lay our honour to gauge. 1560 Randolph in Froude Hist. Eng. (1881) VI. 409 Was fain to leave his saffron shirt in gage. 1563–87 Foxe A. & M. (1596) 1661/1, I will lay my gowne to gage. 1565–73 Cooper Thesaurus, Bona praedia, gages: goodes lying to gage. 1573 Tusser Husb. xciv. (1878) 185 Ill huswiferie sweepeth her linnen to gage. 1579 Fenton Guicciard. ii. (1599) 92 Thirty thousand duckats..giuen vnder gage of the kings iewels. 1579–80 North Plutarch (1676) 71 The common people..borrowed Money..upon gage of their bodies to serve it out. 1593 Drayton Sheph. Garl. iii. iv, Learned Collin laies his pipe to gage. 1638 Sir R. Cotton Abstr. Rec. Tower 9 When his owne were at gage, he [etc.]. 1853 Merivale Rom. Rep. viii. (1867) 234 Appealing to his birth, rank, and aristocratic sentiments, in gage of his loyalty. |
2. spec. A pledge (usually a glove thrown on the ground) of a person's appearance to do battle in support of his assertions. Hence, a challenge. Also gage of battle.
| 13.. K. Alis. 7236 He with-seith alle homage; And sendeth you, by sonde, gage. c 1450 Lonelich Grail lii. 865 Thanne Sire Piers, that was so dowhty A knyht..Aȝens kyng Marahaus put his Gage. 1483 Caxton G. de la Tour H iv, He accused one of treason the whiche anone casted his gage of bataylle unto hym. 1523 Ld. Berners Froiss. I. ccci. 445 Caste downe your gage in that quarell, and ye shall fynde him that shall take it vp. 1590 Greene Orl. Fur. Wks. (Rtldg.) 91/2, I will pawn my honour to his gage, He shall ere night be met and combated. 1600 Fairfax Tasso v. lviii, There take my gage, behold I offer it To him that first accus'd him in this cause. 1828 Scott F.M. Perth vi, A gauntlet flung down is a gage of knightly battle. 1857 Kingsley Two Y. Ago (1877) 55 He was going to throw down a very ugly gage of battle. |
| fig. 1890 Boldrewood Col. Reformer (1891) 315 He was very loath to retreat from any gage of battle thus produced. |
† 3. pl. Sc. [prob. a late adoption of F. gages in the same sense.] Wages. on the gages of: in the pay of. Obs. rare.
| 1562 Acts Sederunt 2 Mar. (1790) 5 To haife the said College [of Justice] eiked the nowmer of six, and in the meyn tyme, the gauges to be eiked and augmentit. 1563–7 Buchanan Reform. St. Andros Wks. (1892) 14 The principal sal deduce sa mekle of hys gagis to be vsit to the common profet of the college. Ibid. 16 That na idle person be haldin on the gagis or expensis of the vniuersite. |
4. attrib. and Comb., as gage-place, gage-selling, gage-thrower; gage-like adj.
| 1847 Tennyson Princ. v. 170 She..flung defiance down *Gagelike to man. |
| 1611 Speed Hist. Gt. Brit. ix. vii. §13 The Castles of Rockesbrough and Berwicke, cautionarie Castles, or *gage places (for part of his ransome) should be restored. |
| c 1530 Ld. Berners Arth. Lyt. Bryt. (1814) 87 Marye, madame, this lady payeth wythout anye *gage sellyng [F sans gage vendre]. |
| 1893 Westm. Gaz. 20 Dec. 3/1 Here was the opener, the *gage thrower in the lists, declaring that he was no party champion. |
▪ II. gage, n.2 slang.
(geɪdʒ)
[perh. f. gage n.1, the sense being ‘enough to pledge any one with’, or var. gauge, a measure.]
1. A quart pot; a quart pot full.
| c 1440 Promp. Parv. 186 Gage, lytylle belle (S. lytyll bolle). 1567 Harman Caveat (1879) 34 A gage of bowse, whiche is a quarte pot of drinke. 1622 Fletcher Beggar's Bush iii. iii, I crown thy nab with a gage of benebowse. 1652 Broome Jov. Crew ii. F iv b, I bowse no Lage but a whole Gage Of this I'll bowse to you. 1708 J. Hall Mem. 20 Gage, a pot. 1785 Grose Dict. Vulg. Tongue, Gage, a quart pot, also a pint, (cant). |
2. A pipe; a pipeful (of tobacco).
| 1676 in Coles. a 1700 B. E. Dict. Cant. Crew, Gage, a Pot or Pipe. Tip me a Gage, give me a Pot or Pipe. 1834 [see fogus]. |
▪ III. gage, n.3
(geɪdʒ)
= greengage.
| 1888 Daily News 10 Sept. 7/1 Plums, with their congeners, damsons and gages, were but little thought of. |
▪ IV. gage, v.
(geɪdʒ)
Also 6 gagie, guage, gauge, gayge, 7 gaige.
[ad. F. gager in same sense, or aphetic form of engage, to which it corresponds in several senses.]
† 1. trans. To pledge or pawn; to mortgage the revenues of (a country). = engage v. 1. Obs.
| 1474 Caxton Chesse iii. v. (1481) G vij, They began..to axe and demande of her the besaunt that they had geuen to her. And she answerd That hit was holden and gaged vpon an ymage. 1555 Eden Decades 243 The emperoure..gagied the Malucas & the spicerie to the kynge of Portugale. 1579–80 North Plutarch (1676) 579 Hast thou not Plate, and Apparel to sell or gage or help him to some? 1592 Stow Ann. 1380. 443 Sir Iohn Philpot..released the armour which the souldiers had gaged for their victuals. |
| absol. 1555 W. Watreman Fardle Facions App. 337 If he that hath gauged be a manne of substaunce: lette the creditour keep the gauge vntill the restitucion of the lone be made. |
† b. To give a pledge for; to undertake to make. Obs.—1
| 1622 Callis Stat. Sewers (1824) 232 Neither would the Court order the defendant to gage deliverance. |
† c. to gage battle: to pledge oneself to judicial combat. Cf. F. gager bataille. Obs. (Cf. wage v.)
| 1586 J. Ferne Blazon Gentrie 77 If one gentleman shall detract from the honor of another..let combate be guaged. 1600 Tate in Gutch Coll. Cur. I. 8 Battel personal gaged betwixt the subjects of one kingdom in criminal causes. 1620 J. Wilkinson Coroners & Sherifes 22 The defendant shall not gage battel in such appeales. |
2. To stake, wager; to risk, bet. Obs. or arch.
| 1599 Jas. I βασιλ. Δωρον (1603) iii. 124 Only to gage so much of his owne money, as he pleaseth, vpon the hazarde of the running of the cardes. 1602 Shakes. Ham. i. i. 91 Against the which, a Moity competent Was gaged by our King. 1603 Knolles Hist. Turks (1621) 67 Assailed by the Christians, with such furie, as if they had thereon purposed to gage their whole forces. 1750 Hodges Chr. Plan (1755) 51 Doing the same, as if he had staked or gaged his seventh, i.e. all his hopes of the divine vision. 1814 Scott Ld. of Isles ii. vii, And 'gainst an oaken bough I'll gage my silver wand of state. |
b. fig. To pledge, offer as a guarantee or forfeit (one's head, life, etc.). (Cf. engage v. 2.)
| a 1529 Skelton Vox Populi xiii. 11 My hed I hold and gage, There wylbe greate outrage. 1573 Essex in Ellis Orig. Lett. Ser. ii. III. 32 To all which pointes I gage myne honour and faith. 1583 Stubbes Anat. Abuses 1 (1877) 112 That thei would paie hym, or els thei would guage their neckes. 1599 Warn. Faire Wom. i. 279, I will gage my hand, Few women can my mistress force withstand. 1603 Knolles Hist. Turks (1621) 10 The clergiemen that had before for his safetie gaged their faith. 1633 Ford 'Tis Pity v. iii, This feast, I'll gage my life, Is but a plot to train you to your ruin. 1876 G. W. Cox Gen. Hist. Greece iv. i. 510 A guide sent to them by the headman of this place gaged his life as a forfeit if he failed. |
† 3. To bind as by a formal promise. Obs. (Cf. engage v. 4.)
| 1489 Plumpton Corr. p. xcviii, You have ministered unto us cause, as gaged to remember you in time to come. 1606 Shakes. Tr. & Cr. v. i. 46 Heere is a Letter from Queene Hecuba, A token from her daughter..Both taxing me, and gaging me to keepe An Oath that I haue sworne. |
4. intr. for refl. To assert on one's own responsibility that. (Cf. engage v. 6.)
| 1811 W. R. Spencer Poems 19, I gage, though long our way, and drear, We reach our nuptial bed to day. 1865 J. Ballantine Poems 24 The other wore the crown of age, But a brighter one she found, I gage. |
† 5. trans. To fix or fasten in or upon. Obs. (Cf. engage v. 11 b.)
| 1703 Moxon Mech. Exerc. 192 The further or open side of the Male-screw is gaged in, or pin'd on the Female-screw with a wooden Pin thrust through two opposite Holes. Ibid. 228 This Neck is..gaged in the Shackle. |
† 6. To bind or entangle in. Cf. engage v. 13.
| 1596 Shakes. Merch. V. i. i. 130 The great debts Wherein my time something too prodigall Hath left me gag'd. |
Hence gaged ppl. a., ˈgaging vbl. n., in senses of the vb.
| 1555 Eden Decades 244 margin, The gageing of the Ilands of malucas. 1586 J. Ferne Blaz. Gentrie 153 Gaging of single battaile. 1602 Warner Alb. Eng. xii. lxxv. (1612) 312 Elenor..did tell The circumstances of her Ring..And shewes the gaged Tablet. |
▪ V. gage, gager
obs. forms of gauge, gauger.