petrol gauge

3.2

A device in a vehicle that shows how much fuel is left in the tank

noun
/ˈpɛtrəl ɡeɪdʒ/

: medidor de gasolina

The petrol gauge showed that the tank was almost empty.

Examples

When the petrol gauge drops to red, it's time to refuel.
She checked the petrol gauge before setting off on her journey.
The petrol gauge showed empty.
I checked the petrol gauge before leaving.
She checked the petrol gauge before setting off on her journey.
The petrol gauge showed that the tank was almost empty.
When the petrol gauge drops to red, it's time to refuel.

Synonyms

fuel gauge

vspetrol gauge

4 2.9

A device that shows how much fuel is left in a car's tank

refers specifically to one common liquid type rather than to any type

gas gauge

vspetrol gauge

3 2.8

A device in a vehicle that shows how much fuel is left

uses the original term rather than this regional wording

petrol gage

vspetrol gauge

4.0

A device in a car that shows how much petrol is left

has identical meaning but differs only in written form

gasoline gauge

vspetrol gauge

3.0

A device in a car that shows how much gas is left

names the same instrument using the original regional variant

gas gage

vspetrol gauge

Archaic

2.3

A device that shows how much fuel is left in a car's tank

shares meaning but differs only in regional spelling and wording

fuel indicator

vspetrol gauge

3.5

A device that shows how much fuel is left in a car's tank

refers to the measuring instrument itself rather than stressing the display feature

Surface Forms

petrol gauge singular

petrol gauges plural

gasoline gauges plural

gasoline gauge singular

Morphology

petrol + gauge

The meaning ('an instrument that shows how much petrol is left') is directly compositional from 'petrol' (fuel) + 'gauge' (measuring device); a B1 learner who knows both words can readily infer the referent. This follows a common noun–noun compounding pattern (cf. 'gas gauge', French 'jauge d'essence'), so the relation is cross-linguistically familiar and transparently recoverable.

Etymology

The name petrol gauge comes from the simple image of a gauge that shows how much petrol is in a car's tank, with a needle or light moving from 'full' to 'empty'. So, it means 'a device in a vehicle that shows how much petrol is left'.