Star n.
 1. One of the innumerable luminous bodies seen in the heavens; any heavenly body other than the sun, moon, comets, and nebulae.
 His eyen twinkled in his head aright,
 As do the stars in the frosty night.   --Chaucer.
 Note: ☞ The stars are distinguished as planets, and fixed stars. See Planet, Fixed stars under Fixed, and Magnitude of a star under Magnitude.
 2. The polestar; the north star.
 3. Astrol. A planet supposed to influence one's destiny; (usually pl.) a configuration of the planets, supposed to influence fortune.
    O malignant and ill-brooding stars.   --Shak.
    Blesses his stars, and thinks it luxury.   --Addison.
 4. That which resembles the figure of a star, as an ornament worn on the breast to indicate rank or honor.
 On whom . . .
 Lavish Honor showered all her stars.   --Tennyson.
 5. Specifically, a radiated mark in writing or printing; an asterisk [thus, *]; -- used as a reference to a note, or to fill a blank where something is omitted, etc.
 6. Pyrotechny A composition of combustible matter used in the heading of rockets, in mines, etc., which, exploding in the air, presents a starlike appearance.
 7. A person of brilliant and attractive qualities, especially on public occasions, as a distinguished orator, a leading theatrical performer, etc.
 Note: ☞ Star is used in the formation of compound words generally of obvious signification; as, star-aspiring, star-bespangled, star-bestudded, star-blasting, star-bright, star-crowned, star-directed, star-eyed, star-headed, star-paved, star-roofed, star-sprinkled, star-wreathed.
 Blazing star, Double star, Multiple star, Shooting star, etc. See under Blazing, Double, etc.
 Nebulous star Astron., a small well-defined circular nebula, having a bright nucleus at its center like a star.
 Star anise Bot., any plant of the genus Illicium; -- so called from its star-shaped capsules.
 Star apple Bot., a tropical American tree (Chrysophyllum Cainito), having a milky juice and oblong leaves with a silky-golden pubescence beneath. It bears an applelike fruit, the carpels of which present a starlike figure when cut across. The name is extended to the whole genus of about sixty species, and the natural order (Sapotaceae) to which it belongs is called the Star-apple family.
 Star conner, one who cons, or studies, the stars; an astronomer or an astrologer. --Gascoigne.
 Star coral Zool., any one of numerous species of stony corals belonging to Astraea, Orbicella, and allied genera, in which the calicles are round or polygonal and contain conspicuous radiating septa.
 Star cucumber. Bot. See under Cucumber.
 Star flower. Bot. (a) A plant of the genus Ornithogalum; star-of-Bethlehem. (b) See Starwort (b). (c) An American plant of the genus Trientalis (Trientalis Americana). --Gray.
 Star fort Fort., a fort surrounded on the exterior with projecting angles; -- whence the name.
 Star gauge Ordnance, a long rod, with adjustable points projecting radially at its end, for measuring the size of different parts of the bore of a gun.
 Star grass. Bot. (a) A small grasslike plant (Hypoxis erecta) having star-shaped yellow flowers. (b) The colicroot. See Colicroot.
 Star hyacinth Bot., a bulbous plant of the genus Scilla (Scilla autumnalis); -- called also star-headed hyacinth.
 Star jelly Bot., any one of several gelatinous plants (Nostoc commune, Nostoc edule, etc.). See Nostoc.
 Star lizard. Zool. Same as Stellion.
 Star-of-Bethlehem Bot., a bulbous liliaceous plant (Ornithogalum umbellatum) having a small white starlike flower.
 Star-of-the-earth Bot., a plant of the genus Plantago (Plantago coronopus), growing upon the seashore.
 Star polygon Geom., a polygon whose sides cut each other so as to form a star-shaped figure.
 Stars and Stripes, a popular name for the flag of the United States, which consists of thirteen horizontal stripes, alternately red and white, and a union having, in a blue field, white stars to represent the several States, one for each.
    With the old flag, the true American flag, the Eagle, and the Stars and Stripes, waving over the chamber in which we sit.   --D. Webster.
 Star showers. See Shooting star, under Shooting.
 Star thistle Bot., an annual composite plant (Centaurea solstitialis) having the involucre armed with stout radiating spines.
 Star wheel Mach., a star-shaped disk, used as a kind of ratchet wheel, in repeating watches and the feed motions of some machines.
 Star worm Zool., a gephyrean.
 Temporary star Astron., a star which appears suddenly, shines for a period, and then nearly or quite disappears.  These stars were supposed by some astronomers to be variable stars of long and undetermined periods.  More recently, variations star in start intensity are classified more specifically, and this term is now obsolescent.  See also nova. [Obsolescent]
 Variable star Astron., a star whose brilliancy varies periodically, generally with regularity, but sometimes irregularly; -- called periodical star when its changes occur at fixed periods.
 Water star grass Bot., an aquatic plant (Schollera graminea) with small yellow starlike blossoms.
 Gauge, n.
 1. A measure; a standard of measure; an instrument to determine dimensions, distance, or capacity; a standard.
    This plate must be a gauge to file your worm and groove to equal breadth by.   --Moxon.
    There is not in our hands any fixed gauge of minds.   --I. Taylor.
 2. Measure; dimensions; estimate.
    The gauge and dimensions of misery, depression, and contempt.   --Burke.
 3. Mach. & Manuf. Any instrument for ascertaining or regulating the dimensions or forms of things; a templet or template; as, a button maker's gauge.
 4. Physics 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.
 5. Naut. (a) 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. (b) The depth to which a vessel sinks in the water.
 6. The distance between the rails of a railway.
 Note: ☞ The standard gauge of railroads in most countries is four feet, eight and one half inches. Wide, or broad, gauge, in the United States, is six feet; in England, seven feet, and generally any gauge exceeding standard gauge. Any gauge less than standard gauge is now called narrow gauge. It varies from two feet to three feet six inches.
 7. Plastering The quantity of plaster of Paris used with common plaster to accelerate its setting.
 8. Building 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 of a carriage, car, etc., the distance between the wheels; -- ordinarily called the track.
 Gauge cock, a stop cock used as a try cock for ascertaining the height of the water level in a steam boiler.
 Gauge concussion Railroads, the jar caused by a car-wheel flange striking the edge of the rail.
 Gauge glass, a glass tube for a water gauge.
 Gauge lathe, an automatic lathe for turning a round object having an irregular profile, as a baluster or chair round, to a templet or gauge.
 Gauge point, the diameter of a cylinder whose altitude is one inch, and contents equal to that of a unit of a given measure; -- a term used in gauging casks, etc.
 Gauge rod, a graduated rod, for measuring the capacity of barrels, casks, etc.
 Gauge saw, a handsaw, with a gauge to regulate the depth of cut. --Knight.
 Gauge stuff, a stiff and compact plaster, used in making cornices, moldings, etc., by means of a templet.
 Gauge wheel, a wheel at the forward end of a plow beam, to determine the depth of the furrow.
 Joiner's gauge, an instrument used to strike a line parallel to the straight side of a board, etc.
 Printer's gauge, an instrument to regulate the length of the page.
 Rain gauge, an instrument for measuring the quantity of rain at any given place.
 Salt gauge, or Brine gauge, an instrument or contrivance for indicating the degree of saltness of water from its specific gravity, as in the boilers of ocean steamers.
 Sea gauge, an instrument for finding the depth of the sea.
 Siphon gauge, a glass siphon tube, partly filled with mercury, -- used to indicate pressure, as of steam, or the degree of rarefaction produced in the receiver of an air pump or other vacuum; a manometer.
 Sliding gauge. Mach. (a) A templet or pattern for gauging the commonly accepted dimensions or shape of certain parts in general use, as screws, railway-car axles, etc. (b) A gauge used only for testing other similar gauges, and preserved as a reference, to detect wear of the working gauges. (c) Railroads See Note under Gauge, n., 5.
 Star gauge Ordnance, an instrument for measuring the diameter of the bore of a cannon at any point of its length.
 Steam gauge, an instrument for measuring the pressure of steam, as in a boiler.
 Tide gauge, an instrument for determining the height of the tides.
 Vacuum gauge, a species of barometer for determining the relative elasticities of the vapor in the condenser of a steam engine and the air.
 Water gauge. (a) A contrivance for indicating the height of a water surface, as in a steam boiler; as by a gauge cock or glass. (b) The height of the water in the boiler.
 Wind gauge, an instrument for measuring the force of the wind on any given surface; an anemometer.
 Wire gauge, a gauge for determining the diameter of wire or the thickness of sheet metal; also, a standard of size. See under Wire.
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