gouge

[ gouj ]

noun

1. a chisel having a partly cylindrical blade with the bevel on either the concave or the convex side.
2. an act of gouging.
3. a groove or hole made by gouging.
4. 1. an act or instance of extorting or overcharging; a swindle.
   2. the amount of money extorted or overcharged:

      a gouge of $20 for shipping and delivery.

5. Geology.
   1. a layer of decomposed rocks or minerals found along the walls of a vein.
   2. fragments of rock that have accumulated between or along the walls of a fault.

verb (used with object)

, gouged, goug·ing.

1. to scoop out or turn with or as if with a gouge:

   to gouge a channel; to gouge holes.

2. to dig or force out with or as if with a gouge:

   to gouge out an eye.

3. to make a gouge in:

   to gouge one's leg.

4. to extort from, overcharge, or swindle:

   drug companies that gouge consumers and the government.

verb (used without object)

, gouged, goug·ing.

1. to engage in extortion, overcharging, or swindling:

   I bought a lot of my clothes there before they began gouging.

gouge

/ ɡaʊdʒ /

verb

1. usually foll by out to scoop or force (something) out of its position, esp with the fingers or a pointed instrument
2. sometimes foll by out to cut (a hole or groove) in (something) with a sharp instrument or tool
3. informal.
   to extort from
4. also intr to dig for (opal)

noun

1. a type of chisel with a blade that has a concavo-convex section
2. a mark or groove made with, or as if with, a gouge
3. geology a fine deposit of rock fragments, esp clay, occurring between the walls of a fault or mineral vein
4. informal.
   extortion; swindling

Other Words From

• goug·er noun
• un·gouged adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of gouge¹

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English, from French, from Late Latin gu(l)bia; compare Old Provençal goja, Spanish gubia; perhaps from Celtic; compare Old Irish gulba “sting,” Welsh gylf “beak,” Cornish gilb “borer”

Word History and Origins

Origin of gouge¹

C15: from French, from Late Latin gulbia a chisel, of Celtic origin

Example Sentences

Fortunately, removing those gouges and restoring the wood’s original luster is a fast, easy project that anyone can handle.

From Popular-Science

The Obama administration has not put forward any plan that will outright gouge more than $700 billion from Medicare.

From The Daily Beast

The spine of the Appalachian Mountains is being obliterated to gouge out the seams of black coal.

From The Daily Beast

At court, Poggio once got into a brawl with a rival official and tried to gouge out his eyes.

From The Daily Beast

I had four and a half rows to trim, and then the whole orchard to go over with paint pot and gouge and cement.

From Project Gutenberg

But he finished the task at last and began to gouge a channel in the planking close to the other ribs.

From Project Gutenberg

It was as though a giant had taken a gouge and cut a bay right through the sea cliffs.

From Project Gutenberg

A small gouge would assist the penknife, and render the operation less difficult.

From Project Gutenberg

He was honest enough still for that, though he had not the courage to admit how deep a gouge the luncheon made in his savings.

From Project Gutenberg