Goose

Pronunciation

• enPR: gōōs, IPA: /É¡uːs/
• Rhymes: -uːs

Origin

From Middle English goos, gos, from Old English gōs, from Proto-Germanic *gans, from Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰans- (compare West Frisian goes, North Frisian göis (also Fering-Öömrang dialect gus; Sölring dialect guus; Heligoland dialect gus), Low German Goos, Gans, Dutch gans, German Gans, Danish gås, Swedish gås, Norwegian gås, Icelandic gæs, Irish gé, Latin ānser, Latvian zùoss, Russian гусь, Albanian gatë, Ancient Greek χήν, Avestan 𐬰𐬁, Sanskrit हंस (haṃsa)).

Noun

1. Any of various grazing waterfowl of the family Anatidae, bigger than a duckThere is a flock of geese on the pond.
2. The flesh of the goose used as food.
• Mrs. Cratchit made the gravy (ready beforehand in a little saucepan) hissing hot; Master Peter mashed the potatoes with incredible vigour; Miss Belinda sweetened up the apple-sauce; Martha dusted the hot plates; Bob took Tiny Tim beside him in a tiny corner at the table; the two young Cratchits set chairs for everybody, not forgetting themselves, and mounting guard upon their posts, crammed spoons into their mouths, lest they should shriek for goose before their turn came to be helped.
3. (slang) A stupid person
• I'm sorry for you, but you're such a goose.
4. (archaic) A tailor's iron, heated in live coals or embers, used to press fabrics.
• Shakespeare Macbeth|II Scene 3:Come in, tailor. Here you may roast your goose.
5. (South Africa, slang, dated) A young woman or girlfriend.

Usage notes

A male goose is called a gander. A young goose is a gosling.

A group of geese can be called a gaggle when they are on the ground or in the water, and a skein or a wedge when they are in flight.

Synonyms

• (tailor's iron) goose iron

Derived terms

Full definition of goose

Verb

1. (slang) To sharply poke or pinch someone's buttocks. Derived from a goose's inclination to bite at a retreating intruder's hindquarters.
2. To stimulate, to spur.
3. (slang) To gently accelerate an automobile or machine, or give repeated small taps on the accelerator.
4. (UK slang) Of private-hire taxi drivers, to pick up a passenger who has not pre-booked a cab. This is unauthorised under UK licensing conditions.