If you ask your friend, "How do you feel, generally, about loaning your car to people?" your intention might be to gauge his reaction before you flat out ask if you can borrow his car. To gauge is to measure or test.
To measure or determine with a gauge.
Noun
 a measuring instrument for measuring and indicating a quantity such as the thickness of wire or the amount of rain etc.
Noun
 diameter of a tube or gun barrel
Noun
 the thickness of wire
Noun
 the distance between the rails of a railway or between the wheels of a train
Noun
 accepted or approved instance or example of a quantity or quality against which others are judged or measured or compared
Verb
 mix in specific proportions; "gauge plaster"
Verb
 adapt to a specified measurement; "gauge the instruments"
Verb
 measure precisely and against a standard; "the wire is gauged"
Verb
 judge tentatively or form an estimate of (quantities or time); "I estimate this chicken to weigh three pounds"
Verb
 determine the capacity, volume, or contents of by measurement and calculation; "gauge the wine barrels"
Verb
 rub to a uniform size; "gauge bricks"
v. t.
 To measure or determine with a gauge.
v. t.
 To measure or to ascertain the contents or the capacity
   of, as of a pipe, barrel, or keg.
v. t.
 To measure the dimensions of, or to test the accuracy of
   the form of, as of a part of a gunlock.
v. t.
 To draw into equidistant gathers by running a thread
   through it, as cloth or a garment.
v. t.
 To measure the capacity, character, or ability of; to
   estimate; to judge of.
n.
 A measure; a standard of measure; an instrument to determine
   dimensions, distance, or capacity; a standard.
n.
 Measure; dimensions; estimate.
n.
 Any instrument for ascertaining or regulating the dimensions
   or forms of things; a templet or template; as, a button maker's gauge.
n.
 Any instrument or apparatus for measuring the state of a
   phenomenon, or for ascertaining its numerical elements at any moment;
   -- usually applied to some particular instrument; as, a rain gauge; a
   steam gauge.
n.
 Relative positions of two or more vessels with reference to
   the wind; as, a vessel has the weather gauge of another when on the
   windward side of it, and the lee gauge when on the lee side of it.
n.
 The depth to which a vessel sinks in the water.
n.
 The distance between the rails of a railway.
n.
 The quantity of plaster of Paris used with common plaster to
   accelerate its setting.
n.
 That part of a shingle, slate, or tile, which is exposed to
   the weather, when laid; also, one course of such shingles, slates, or
   tiles.
Gauge
The vanes nicely gauged on each side.4.
You shall not gauge me By what we do to-night.
Gauge
This plate must be a gauge to file your worm and groove to equal breadth by.
There is not in our hands any fixed gauge of minds.2.
The gauge and dimensions of misery, depression, and contempt.3.
Gaugeable
To measure or determine with a gauge.
A measure; a standard of measure; an instrument to determine dimensions, distance, or capacity; a standard.
Usage Examples
Making an album should be an honest experience. It shouldn't be about trying to gauge where popular music is today it should be about artistic expression and putting down what you want to put down.
It is more interesting to be compared to someone famous, because it lets you gauge what perceptions people have about your appearance.
Misspelled Formgauge, fgauge, tgauge, ygauge, hgauge, bgauge, vgauge, fauge, tauge, yauge, hauge, bauge, vauge, gfauge, gtauge, gyauge, ghauge, gbauge, gvauge, gqauge, gwauge, gsauge, gzauge, gquge, gwuge, gsuge, gzuge, gaquge, gawuge, gasuge, gazuge, gayuge, ga7uge, ga8uge, gaiuge, gajuge, gayge, ga7ge, ga8ge, gaige, gajge, gauyge, gau7ge, gau8ge, gauige, gaujge, gaufge, gautge, gauyge, gauhge, gaubge, gauvge, gaufe, gaute, gauye, gauhe, gaube, gauve, gaugfe, gaugte, gaugye, gaughe, gaugbe, gaugve, gaugwe, gaug3e, gaug4e, gaugre, gaugse, gaugde, gaugw, gaug3, gaug4, gaugr, gaugs, gaugd, gaugew, gauge3, gauge4, gauger, gauges, gauged.
Other Usage ExamplesThe degree of freedom from unwanted thoughts and the degree of concentration on a single thought are the measures to gauge spiritual progress.
Gay culture is surviving and thriving. Some activists believe the recent rise in homophobic violence might be a gauge of the success of positive gay images.