noun
- a chisel with a curved, hollowed blade, for cutting grooves or holes in wood
- an act of gouging
- the groove or hole made by gouging
- any deep groove or hole that is considered a blemish
- Informal an act of overcharging or cheating of money; extortion or swindle
Origin:
ME < OFr < VL gubia, for LL gulbia < Celt (as in OIr gulban, goad, thorn) < IE base *gelebh-, to scrape, hollow out > Gr glaphein, to carve
transitive verb gouged, gouging
- to make a groove, hole, etc. in (something) with or as with a gouge
- to scoop out; dig or force out: to gouge out dirt
- ☆ in fighting, to push one's thumb into the eye of
- ☆ Informal to cheat out of money, etc.; also, to overcharge