goose

1 of 2

noun

plural geese ˈgēs How to pronounce goose (audio)
1
a
: any of numerous large waterfowl (family Anatidae) that are intermediate between the swans and ducks and have long necks, feathered lores, and reticulate tarsi
b
: a female goose as distinguished from a gander
2
3
plural gooses : a tailor's smoothing iron with a gooseneck handle
4
plural gooses : a poke between the buttocks

goose

2 of 2

verb

goosed; goosing

transitive verb

1
: to poke between the buttocks with an upward thrust
2
: to increase the activity, speed, power, intensity, or amount of : spur
an effort to goose newsstand sales

Examples of goose in a Sentence

Noun don't be such a silly goose—you're dressed just fine for the party
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
After 1935, duck and goose hunters were limited to fake decoys. Alice Jones Webb, Outdoor Life, 14 Nov. 2024 Other academics were less incredulous, suggesting that the paper was a wild goose chase — a phrase itself invented by Shakespeare. David Hodari, NBC News, 1 Nov. 2024
Verb
The more money Biden and Congress spent to goose the economy, the more his economic-approval ratings fell. Matthew Continetti, National Review, 19 Oct. 2024 Malone needs to design some early looks for him over the first few weeks to goose his scoring. Sean Keeler, The Denver Post, 21 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for goose 

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English gos, from Old English gōs; akin to Old High German gans goose, Latin anser, Greek chēn

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

circa 1880, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of goose was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near goose

Cite this Entry

“Goose.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/goose. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

goose

noun
ˈgüs
plural geese
ˈgēs
1
a
: any of numerous birds with long necks that are larger than the related ducks and smaller than swans
b
: a female goose in contrast to a gander
2
: a person lacking in common sense
3
plural gooses : an iron with a gooseneck handle used by tailors for smoothing clothes

More from Merriam-Webster on goose

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!