goose

[goos]

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR goose ON THESAURUS.COM

noun, plural geese for 1, 2, 4, 8; goos·es for 5–7.

any of numerous wild or domesticated, web-footed swimming birds of the family Anatidae, especially of the genera Anser and Branta, most of which are larger and have a longer neck and legs than the ducks.

the female of this bird, as distinguished from the male, or gander.

the flesh of a goose, used as food.

a silly or foolish person; simpleton.

Slang. a poke between the buttocks to startle.

Informal. anything that energizes, strengthens, or the like: to give the economy a badly needed goose.

a tailor's smoothing iron with a curved handle.

an obsolete board game played with dice and counters in which a player whose cast falls in a square containing the picture of a goose is allowed to advance double the number of his or her throw.

verb (used with object), goosed, goos·ing.

Slang. to poke (a person) between the buttocks to startle.

Informal.

to prod or urge to action or an emotional reaction: The promise of time off may goose the workers and increase profits.
to strengthen or improve (often followed by up): Let's goose up the stew with some wine.
to increase; raise (often followed by up): to goose up government loans in weak industries.
to give a spurt of fuel to (a motor) to increase speed.

Idioms plural geese.

cook someone's goose, Informal. to ruin someone's hopes, plans, chances, etc.: His goose was cooked when they found the stolen gems in his pocket.

Origin of goose

before 1000; Middle English gose, goos, Old English gōs (plural gēs); cognate with German Gans, Old Norse gās; compare Sanskrit haṅsa, Greek chḗn, Latin ānser

Related formsgoose·like, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Related Words for goose

desire, impetus, interest, wish, incentive, motive, reason, encouragement, impulse, catalyst, inclination, seduction, aid, support, lift, assistance, improvement, advance, chicken, pheasant

Examples from the Web for goose

Contemporary Examples of goose

I wandered around aimlessly for a while, then gave the goose to an acquiescent hippy on a barge.
The Life and Art of Radical Provocateur—and Commune Leader—Otto Muehl
Anthony Haden-Guest
September 22, 2014
Thus continued a goose chase that produced, well, a goose egg.
Teaching a Lesson to Bullies and Educators Alike
Moral Courage
February 24, 2014
Let me goose A&E as they duck for cover over their botched handling of the Phil Robertson mess.
A&E Ducks for Cover by Forgiving Phil Robertson
Michael Musto
December 30, 2013
Outdoor explorer shows featuring real-life people in extreme climates tend to feature Canada Goose coats, he noted.
The Cult of Canada Goose
Keli Goff
December 23, 2013
According to reports from his salespeople, various Korean celebrities have been spotted in Canada Goose products in recent years.
The Cult of Canada Goose
Keli Goff
December 23, 2013

Historical Examples of goose

What's sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander: take that in your thought too.
Clarissa, Volume 1 (of 9)
Samuel Richardson
Apples in some form or other are commonly served with goose.
Woman's Institute Library of Cookery, Vol. 3
Woman's Institute of Domestic Arts and Sciences
Cyrus, my advice to you is to go home and tell your wife not to be a goose.
Quaint Courtships
Various
The old soldiers, for some inscrutable reason, go for goose to a man.
Camps, Quarters and Casual Places
Archibald Forbes
I told Mallet if he would cook a goose, I would tip one over.
Ned Myers
James Fenimore Cooper

British Dictionary definitions for goose

goose

noun plural geese (ɡiːs)

any of various web-footed long-necked birds of the family Anatidae: order Anseriformes. They are typically larger and less aquatic than ducks and are gregarious and migratorySee also brent goose, barnacle goose, greylag, snow goose Related adjective: anserine

the female of such a bird, as opposed to the male (gander)

informal a silly person

plural gooses a pressing iron with a long curving handle, used esp by tailors

the flesh of the goose, used as food

all his geese are swans he constantly exaggerates the importance of a person or thing

cook someone's goose informal

to spoil someone's plans
to bring about someone's ruin, downfall, etc

kill the goose that lays the golden eggs to sacrifice future benefits for the sake of momentary present needsSee also golden goose

Word Origin for goose

Old English gōs; related to Old Norse gās, Old High German gans, Old Irish gēiss swan, Greek khēn, Sanskrit hainsas

goose

verb

(tr) to prod (a person) playfully in the behind

noun plural gooses

a playful prod in the behind

Word Origin for goose

C19: from goose 1, probably from a comparison with the jabbing of a goose's bill

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for goose

"a large waterfowl proverbially noted, I know not why, for foolishness" [Johnson], Old English gos, from Proto-Germanic *gans- "goose" (cf. Old Frisian gos, Old Norse gas, Old High German gans, German Gans "goose"), from PIE *ghans- (cf. Sanskrit hamsah (masc.), hansi (fem.), "goose, swan;" Greek khen; Latin anser; Polish gęś "goose;" Lithuanian zasis "goose;" Old Irish geiss "swan"), probably imitative of its honking.

Spanish ganso "goose" is from a Germanic source. Loss of "n" sound is normal before "s." Plural form geese is an example of i-mutation.

Meaning "simpleton" is from 1540s. To cook one's goose first attested 1845, of unknown origin; attempts to connect it to Swedish history and Greek fables have been unconvincing. Goose egg "zero" first attested 1866 in baseball slang. The goose that laid the golden egg is from Aesop.

"jab in the rear," c.1880, from goose (n.), possibly from resemblance of the upturned thumb to a goose's beak. Related: Goosed; goosing. In 19c. theatrical slang, to be goosed meant "to be hissed" (by 1818).

Idioms and Phrases with goose

goose

In addition to the idioms beginning with goose

goose egg
goose pimples

also see:

cook someone's goose
gone coon (goose)
kill the goose that laid the golden eggs
sauce for the goose
wild goose chase