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gage¹

(gāj)

1. Something deposited or given as security against an obligation; a pledge.

2. Something, such as a glove, that is offered or thrown down as a pledge or challenge to fight.

3. A challenge.

tr.v. gaged, gag·ing, gag·es
Archaic

1. To pledge as security.

2. To offer as a stake in a bet; wager.

[Middle English, from Old French, of Germanic origin.]

gage²

(gāj)

Any of several varieties of plum, such as the greengage.

[After Sir William Gage (1656?-1727), English botanist.]

gage³

(gāj)

n. & v.

Variant of gauge.

Gage

(gāj), Thomas 1721?-1787.

British general and colonial administrator. As governor of Massachusetts (1774-1775) his attempts to suppress colonial resistance led to the start of the American Revolution.

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices