temperature gauge
nounUK /ˈtemprətʃə ɡeɪdʒ/
US /ˈtemprətʃər ɡeɪdʒ/
A tool that shows how hot or cold something is.
The temperature gauge in the car showed that the engine was getting too hot.
RELATED WORDS
OTHER MEANINGS
2. A device on a vehicle dashboard that shows the engine coolant temperature.
When the temperature gauge climbed into the red, she pulled over to let the engine cool.
3. A weather instrument used to display the current air temperature.
The outdoor temperature gauge read minus five degrees this morning.
4. A cooking tool that measures the internal heat of food or liquid.
Use a temperature gauge to make sure the oil is hot enough for frying.
5. A figurative indicator of how heated or intense a situation is.
The tense meeting was a temperature gauge for how unhappy the staff had become.