metage: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Historical/Obsolute RarityHistorical, Archaic, Technical (historical law/commerce)
Quick answer
What does “metage” mean?
A fee or duty paid for the official measurement or weighing of goods, especially grain or coal, in certain historical ports and markets.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A fee or duty paid for the official measurement or weighing of goods, especially grain or coal, in certain historical ports and markets.
The act or system of officially measuring bulk goods, or the official certificate verifying such measurement.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The term is historically British, linked to the regulation of London's coal trade and other port authorities. It is virtually absent from historical American usage, where systems like "gauging" or "inspection" were more common.
Connotations
UK: Connotes historical bureaucracy, port dues, and regulated trade. US: Not in use; no connotations.
Frequency
In UK historical texts, the term has limited but precise usage. It is obsolete in contemporary English in both regions. American English never adopted the term.
Grammar
How to Use “metage” in a Sentence
The N of N (the metage of coal)Pay N for N (pay metage for the cargo)Subject to N (subject to metage)Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “metage” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The coal had to be metaged before it could be sold in the city.
American English
- (No usage, verb form 'to gauge' or 'to measure' was used.)
adverb
British English
- (No adverbial usage.)
American English
- (No adverbial usage.)
adjective
British English
- The metage certificate was required for clearance.
American English
- (No usage.)
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Obsolete. Historical context only: accounting for port fees, trade regulations.
Academic
Used in historical, economic, or legal studies discussing pre-modern trade practices.
Everyday
Never used.
Technical
Obsolete technical term for historical trade documentation and port authority procedures.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “metage”
- Pronouncing it /mɛˈtɑːʒ/ (like 'mirage').
- Using it in a modern context.
- Confusing it with 'mileage'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is an obsolete historical term. Modern equivalents would be 'inspection fees' or 'port dues'.
Metage is a fee for the *act of measuring* goods. Tonnage was (and is) a duty based on the *calculated capacity* of a ship or the weight of its cargo.
Yes, in its extended sense, it can mean the official measurement process. However, its primary historical meaning is the *fee* charged for that service.
It described a highly specific administrative practice that disappeared with the deregulation of trade and the advent of standardised weights and measures in the 19th century.
A fee or duty paid for the official measurement or weighing of goods, especially grain or coal, in certain historical ports and markets.
Metage is usually historical, archaic, technical (historical law/commerce) in register.
Metage: in British English it is pronounced /ˈmiːtɪdʒ/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈmiːtɪdʒ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “None (term is too specific and archaic)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'MEAsure aT A GE' - You measure (MEA) at a port or gate (GE) and pay a T (fee).
Conceptual Metaphor
OFFICIAL PROCEDURE IS A TAX (The act of verifying quantity is conceptualised as a chargeable service).
Practice
Quiz
In which historical context would you most likely encounter the term 'metage'?