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goose Definition

goose (go̵̅o̅s)

noun pl. geese

  1. any of various long-necked, web-footed, wild or domestic waterfowl that are like ducks but larger; esp., a female as distinguished from a gander
  2. the flesh of a goose, used for food
  3. a silly person
  4. a tailor's pressing iron with a long handle curved somewhat like the neck of a goose
  5. Slang a sudden, playful prod in the backside

Etymology: ME gose < OE gos, akin to Du & Ger gans, ON gas < IE *ĝhans > L anser; goose prob. for the fact that geese sometimes attack children from the rear

transitive verb goosed, goos·ing

  1. ☆ to prod suddenly and playfully in the backside so as to startle
  2. ☆ to feed gasoline to (an engine) in irregular spurts
  3. ☆ to prod, or stir, into action

goose Idioms

cook someone's goose

Informal to spoil someone's chances, hopes, etc.

goose Synonyms

goose

n.

  1. Types of geese include: gray, graylag, bean, pink-footed, white-fronted, snow, emperor, kelp, upland, black, barnacle, brant, Canada, Chinese, Egyptian, Orinoco.

  2. A stupid person

    loony, dope, silly; see fool 1.

cook one's goose*

goose Usage Examples

Preposition: down

  • duvet: Down is the finest of all fillings and its unique ability to trap air means this goose down duvet is exceptionally light.
  • pillow: Also on offer are a pair of matching Hungarian goose down pillows for just £ 79.99.

Converse of object

  • fatten: People during the Middle Ages also ate fattened geese.
  • migrate: It is famous for the large number of migrating geese that come here.

Adjective modifier

  • brent: Have a look for the heron stalking its prey and the brent geese coming into land after their 3000 km flight from the Arctic.
  • pink-footed: Cumbria, where it is possible to hunt pink-footed geese, most of which breed in Iceland, each winter?
  • white-fronted: The bog also provides habitats for upland birds, with the Greenland white-fronted goose being of particular note.
  • dark-bellied: We are preparing a list of sites used by dark-bellied brent geese in Denmark.
  • pinkfooted: So ended a fantastic day, the final bag included pinkfooted geese, mallard, wigeon, pheasant and a hare.
  • Hawaiian: One of their early successes in conservation was the preservation of the Hawaiian goose.

Modifies a noun

  • pimple: You get stomach cramps, diarrhea, sickness, headache, nausea, goose pimples, hot & sweaty, then really cold.
  • bump: Reading your post I got goose bumps all over.
  • quill: Queen Elizabeth favored swans, and wisely: although some writers found them too stiff, a swan quill would outlast 50 goose quills.
  • barnacle: Goose tree Goose barnacles often attach themselves to the bottom of boats and any floating object.
  • feather: They can be filled with duck or goose feather or down.

Noun used with modifier

  • greylag: We sat out in the evening, watching the fish jump and greylag geese swim by with their babies.
  • barnacle: On tuesday I came accross a barnacle goose in Combe Haven valley.
  • solan: He had charge beside of the solan geese that roosted in the crags; and from these an extraordinary income is derived.
  • roast: Roast goose for 2 to 2 ½ hours draining the fat often.

Browse dictionary entries near goose

  1. goosander
  2. goop
  3. goony
  4. gooney bird
  5. goon
  6. goombay
  7. goombah
  8. gook
  9. googolplex
  10. googol
  1. goose barnacle
  2. goose bumps
  3. goose egg
  4. goose flesh
  5. goose pimples
  6. goose step
  7. gooseberry
  8. goosefish
  9. goosefoot
  10. goosegrass