pear gauge en · NOUN
Etymology
So called by its inventor, John Smeaton, in the mid-18th century, because it consisted in part of a pear-shaped glass vessel.
Meanings
- (historical) A kind of gauge for measuring the exhaustion (creation of a vacuum) of an air pump receiver (airtight vessel from which air is pumped in order to form a vacuum).
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| pear gauges | Number=Plur | lexicographic |