subs. (old).—Advantage, the upper hand: cf. WINDWARD. Whence TO GET THE WEATHERGAGE = to command, control, have the best of.

1

  1813.  SCOTT, Rokeby, vi. 24.

                        Then, were the line
Of Rokeby once combined with mine,
I gain the WEATHER-GAGE of fate!
    Ibid. (1819), Ivanhoe, i. 13. Take a turn round the back o’ the hill to gain the wind on them; and when thou’st got the WEATHER-GAGE, thou mayst drive them before thee as gently as so many innocent lambs.

2