Origin and history of gage

"ascertain by exact measurements," mid-15c., from Anglo-French gauge (mid-14c.), from Old North French gauger "standardize, calibrate, measure" (Old French jaugier), from gauge "gauging rod," a word of unknown origin. Perhaps from Frankish *galgo "rod, pole for measuring" or another Germanic source (compare Old Norse gelgja "pole, perch," Old High German galgo; see gallows). Related: Gauged; gauging. The figurative use is from 1580s. "The spelling variants gauge and gage have existed since the first recorded uses in Middle English, though in American English gage is found exclusively in technical uses" [Barnhart].

Middle English wedden, "take a husband or wife, get married," from Old English weddian "to pledge oneself, covenant to do something, vow; betroth, marry," also, of a priest, etc., "unite (a man and woman) in a marriage, conduct the marriage ceremony," from Proto-Germanic *wadanan (source also of Old Norse veðja, Danish vedde "to bet, wager," Old Frisian weddia "to promise," Gothic ga-wadjon "to betroth").

According to Watkins this is from PIE *wadh- (1) "to pledge, to redeem a pledge" (source also of Latin vas, genitive vadis "bail, security," Lithuanian vaduoti "to redeem a pledge"). Boutkan acknowledges the cognates but suspects substrate origin.

The sense has remained closer to "pledge" in other Germanic languages (such as German Wette "a bet, wager"); its specialization to "marry" is unique to English. In Middle English it still also could mean "to wager."

Oldest use is of a man, "take (a woman) as wife;" in reference to a woman, directly, from late 14c.; previously in passive constructions, be wedded, was wedded. "Originally 'make a woman one's wife by giving a pledge or earnest money', then used of either party" [Buck].

Passively, of two people, "to be joined as husband and wife," from c. 1200. Figuratively, "join closely in affection," by 1818. Related: Wedded; wedding.

c. 1300, "a payment for services rendered, reward, just deserts;" mid-14c., "salary paid to a provider of service," from Anglo-French and Old North French wage (Old French gage) "pledge, pay, reward," from Frankish *wadja- or another Germanic source (compare Old English wedd "pledge, agreement, covenant," Gothic wadi "pledge"), from Proto-Germanic *wadi- (see wed (v.)). A doublet of gage (n.). Spanish gage, Italian gaggio also are from Germanic.

Also from mid-14c., "a pledge, guarantee, surety" (usually in plural), and (c. 1400) "a promise or pledge to meet in battle." The "payment for service" sense by late 14c. extended to allotments of money paid at regular intervals for continuous or repeated service. The Old English word was lean, related to loan and representing the usual Germanic word (Gothic laun, Dutch loon, German Lohn).

Traditionally in English wages were payment for manual or mechanical labor and somewhat distinguished from salary or fee. Modern French cognate gages (plural) means "wages of a domestic," one of a range of French "pay" words distinguished by class, such as traitement (university professor), paye, salaire (workman), solde (soldier), récompense, prix.

Wage-earner "one who receives stated wages for labor" is attested from 1871.