goose

goose — noun

1. a fairly big bird that lives near water and has webbed feet and a slightly curve

1.nounB1
Definition

a fairly big bird that lives near water and has webbed feet and a slightly curved long neck; also the meat of this bird when cooked and eaten.

Example

Every autumn, Sari watches V-shaped flocks of wild geese honking loudly as they fly south across the vast lake.

plural form: geese; collocation: flock of geese

The farmer raised over twenty geese on his small farm near the river.

Common collocations
  • flock of geese
  • wild goose
  • roast goose
  • a goose honks
  • a gaggle of geese
Synonyms
  • gander

    specifically an adult male goose

  • waterfowl

    broader term covering all water birds including geese, ducks, and swans

  • duck

    a smaller water bird with a shorter neck, often confused with goose

Grammar Patterns

a goose / the goose / geese (plural)

goose (as uncountable meat)

Usage Note

The irregular plural is geese, not gooses. When referring to the meat (uncountable), there is no plural form: 'We had goose for dinner.'

Common Mistakes

I saw three gooses on the pond.
I saw three geese on the pond.
goose has an irregular plural form: geese.

2. a person who behaves in a foolish or silly way, often in a harmless or amusing m

2.nounB2
Definition

a person who behaves in a foolish or silly way, often in a harmless or amusing manner.

Example

Reuben felt like a complete goose after locking his keys inside the car.

"feel like a goose" = feel foolish

Don't be such a goose — the train always stops at the main station.

Common collocations
  • silly goose
  • old goose
  • what a goose
Synonyms
  • fool

    stronger and more critical than goose

  • simpleton

    older or more literary; suggests a lack of intelligence

  • silly

    adjective form, less specific

Antonyms
  • genius

    someone very intelligent, the opposite of a fool

Grammar Patterns

a goose (referring to a person)

Usage Note

This sense is mild and often affectionate — calling someone a goose is less harsh than calling them a fool or an idiot. Frequently used in the fixed phrase 'silly goose.'

Common Mistakes

Stop acting like a goose!' (when the listener thinks of the bird)
Stop acting like a goose!' (context makes clear this means 'don't be silly')
context determines whether goose means the bird or a silly person.
Idioms

cook someone's goose

idiom

to ruin someone's plans, chances, or reputation completely.

The journalist's leaked report cooked the politician's goose before the election.

If the teacher finds out you copied the exam, that will cook your goose for sure.

kill the goose that lays the golden egg

idiom

to destroy a reliable source of income, success, or benefit through greed or impatience.

By raising prices so sharply, the company killed the goose that lays the golden egg and lost all its loyal customers.

He was so eager to get quick cash that he sold his successful shop — he killed the goose that laid the golden egg.

what's sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander

idiom

if one person is treated a certain way, the same rules or treatment should apply to another person in a similar situation.

If you expect me to arrive on time, you should also be punctual. What's sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander.

The manager told everyone to work late but left early himself. What's sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander, I say.

wild goose chase

idiom

a search or pursuit that has very little chance of succeeding, often because the target keeps moving or does not exist.

The treasure map led the explorers on a wild goose chase through the mountains with no gold at the end.

Looking for that rare book in every second-hand shop in the city turned out to be a complete wild goose chase.

cook somebody’s goose

idiom

To ruin someone's plans or chances of success.

His careless mistake cooked his goose in the final exam.

If you lie to the boss, it will cook your goose.

kill the goose that lays the golden egg/eggs

idiom

To destroy a reliable source of income or success by being greedy or foolish.

By overcharging customers, the company killed the goose that laid the golden eggs.

Don't kill the goose that lays the golden egg by demanding too much too soon.

not say boo to a goose

idiom

To be very shy, timid, or gentle.

Maya is so quiet she wouldn't say boo to a goose.

Despite his size, he wouldn't say boo to a goose.

what’s sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander

idiom

What is acceptable for one person should be acceptable for another in a similar situation.

If he can stay out late, then what's sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander.

She argued that what's sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander regarding work hours.

goose — verb

Word family

  • geese
    nounB1
  • goosy
    adjectiveC2
  • gander
    nounC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Goose, duck, and swan are all water birds, but they differ in size, neck length, and appearance. A goose is larger than a duck, with a noticeably longer neck and a loud honking call. Ducks are the most common around ponds and parks; they have shorter necks, broader bodies, and make a soft quacking sound. Swans are the largest of the three, with very long, curved necks and pure white or black feathers — they glide gracefully on the water and are less noisy than geese. For example: 'A flock of geese flew overhead, honking loudly,' while 'The ducks paddled quietly on the pond,' and 'A white swan glided across the lake with its long neck arched.'

goose ↗duck ↗swan ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

Etymology

Indo-EuropeanGermanicOld EnglishEnglish

The word 'goose' comes from Old English 'gōs,' which traces back to the Germanic root 'gans-' and further to the ancient Indo-European root '*ghans-,' meaning goose. This root produced similar words across many European languages, including Latin 'anser' and Greek 'χήν' (chēn). The verb senses emerged much later in the 1800s as informal American English, starting with the idea of a sudden poke or prod (like a goose's peck) and later extending to the sense of urging a vehicle or person forward.