noun
goose
goos
noun
1
A large web-footed waterfowl, related to but bigger than a duck, often kept as farm poultry or hunted as game.
"A flock of geese flew south in a neat V formation."
"They roasted a goose for the holiday dinner."
2
A foolish or silly person.
"Don't be such a goose — of course it's a joke."
verb
1
To poke or pinch someone sharply on the buttocks, often as a prank.
"He goosed his friend in the hallway and got a shout of surprise."
2
To give something a sudden boost or push, especially by pressing the accelerator.
"She goosed the engine to merge before the gap closed."
How to Use Goose
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe bird most people picture, plus a couple of playful extra meanings — a silly person, or a quick jab/boost.
Common mistake
The plural is "geese," not "gooses."
Common pairings
a flock of geese
goose the throttle
silly goose
Word Forms
goosed past tense, geese plural, gooses singular
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Etymology
From Old English gōs, an ancient word going back through Germanic languages to a Proto-Indo-European root also found in Latin ānser and Sanskrit haṃsá — essentially the same word for "goose" across a huge family of languages.