Goose — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun verb /ˈgüs/

Meaning & Definition of Goose

Goose (noun)

  1. any of numerous large waterfowl (family Anatidae) that are intermediate between the swans and ducks and have long necks, feathered lores, and reticulate tarsi
  2. a female goose as distinguished from a gander
  3. simpleton, dolt

Goose (verb)

  1. to poke between the buttocks with an upward thrust
  2. to increase the activity, speed, power, intensity, or amount of, spur

Goose (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. a person who lacks good sense or judgment

    "don't be such a silly goose—you're dressed just fine for the party"

    similar: berk (British), booby, charlie (British), cuckoo, ding-a-ling, ding-dong, dingbat, dipstick, doofus (slang), featherhead, fool, git (British), half-wit, jackass, lunatic (informal), maniac (informal), mooncalf, nincompoop, ninny, ninnyhammer, nit (chiefly British), nitwit, nut, nutcase, simp, simpleton, turkey, yo-yo
    related: daredevil, madman, airhead, birdbrain, blockhead, dodo, dolt, donkey, dope, dork (slang), dumbbell, dummy, dunce, fathead, gander, goon, idiot, ignoramus, imbecile, know-nothing, knucklehead, moron, numskull, pinhead, schlub (slang), schlump (slang), schnook (slang), stock, featherbrain, scatterbrain, butt, dupe, laughingstock, mockery, monkey, chump, loser, schlemiel, character, codger, crackbrain, crackpot, crank, kook, oddball, screwball, weirdo
    near: sage, thinker, brain, genius

Related Entry: Goose egg (noun)

Goose egg is a different word from Goose. The synonyms below are for goose egg, not for goose.

  1. the numerical symbol 0 or the absence of number or quantity represented by it

    "was such a bad bowler that his final score was a big, fat goose egg"

    similar: aught, cipher, naught, nil, nothing, o, oh, zero, zilch, zip
    related: blank, void

Related Entry: Goose-step (to) (verb)

Goose-step (to) is a different word from Goose. The synonyms below are for goose-step (to), not for goose.

  1. to act according to the commands of

    "the new president has everyone goose-stepping to her every whim lest they provoke her wrath"

    similar: adhere (to), comply (with), conform (to), follow, mind, obey, observe, abide by, fall in with, keep to
    related: defer (to), submit (to), surrender (to), yield (to), accede (to), acquiesce (to), agree (to), assent (to), attend, hear, heed, listen (to), mark, note, notice, regard, take, watch
    opposite: defy, disobey, rebel (against)
    near: disoblige, challenge, dare, refuse, renounce, repudiate, direct, lead, brush (off), disregard, ignore, overlook, overpass, pass over, tune out, wink (at), dismiss, pooh-pooh, shrug off, breach, break, infringe, transgress, violate, deride, flout, mock, scoff (at), scorn, mutiny (against), revolt (against), buck, combat, contest, dispute, fight, oppose, resist, withstand

Related Entry: Goose bumps (plural noun)

Goose bumps is a different word from Goose. The synonyms below are for goose bumps, not for goose.

  1. as in cold sweat, fidgets

    similar: cold sweat, creeps, fidgets, butterflies, dither, heebie-jeebies, jimjams, jitters, nerve, screaming meemies, shakes, shivers, whim-whams, willies, agitation, anxiety, fear, hysteria, uneasiness, frazzle, nervous breakdown, edginess, jumpiness, skittishness
    opposite: aplomb, calm, composure, equanimity, imperturbability, self-possession, tranquility

Related Entry: Goose-step (verb)

Goose-step is a different word from Goose. The synonyms below are for goose-step, not for goose.

  1. as in trudge, traipse

    similar: lumber, plod, stamp, stomp, trudge, perambulate, step, traipse, tread, file, march, pace, parade, stride, hike, tramp
    opposite: amble, meander, ramble, stroll, wander

Related Entry: Goose-stepped (verb)

Goose-stepped is a different word from Goose. The synonyms below are for goose-stepped, not for goose.

  1. as in trudged, traipsed

    similar: lumbered, plodded, stamped, stomped, trudged, perambulated, stepped, traipsed, trod, filed, marched, paced, paraded, strode, hiked, tramped
    opposite: ambled, meandered, rambled, strolled, wandered

Related Entry: Goose-stepping (verb)

Goose-stepping is a different word from Goose. The synonyms below are for goose-stepping, not for goose.

  1. as in trudging, traipsing

    similar: lumbering, plodding, stamping, stomping, trudging, perambulating, stepping, traipsing, treading, filing, marching, pacing, parading, striding, hiking, tramping
    opposite: ambling, meandering, rambling, strolling, wandering

Related Entry: Goose-steps (verb)

Goose-steps is a different word from Goose. The synonyms below are for goose-steps, not for goose.

  1. as in trudges, traipses

    similar: lumbers, plods, stamps, stomps, trudges, perambulates, steps, traipses, treads, files, marches, paces, parades, strides, hikes, tramps
    opposite: ambles, meanders, rambles, strolls, wanders

Related Entry: Goose eggs (noun)

Goose eggs is a different word from Goose. The synonyms below are for goose eggs, not for goose.

  1. the numerical symbol 0 or the absence of number or quantity represented by it

    "was such a bad bowler that his final score was a big, fat goose egg"

    similar: aughts, ciphers, naughts, nils, ohs, o's, zeros, zilches, zips
    related: blanks, voids

Related Entry: Cook (verb)

Cook is a different word from Goose. The synonyms below are for cook, not for goose.

  1. to change so much as to create a wrong impression or alter the meaning of

    "it turns out the pharmaceutical researcher had cooked her data"

    similar: bend, color, distort, falsify, fudge, garble, misinterpret, misrelate, misrepresent, misstate, pervert, slant, twist, warp
    related: misdescribe, misspeak, mistranslate, belie, camouflage, disguise, dissemble, gloss (over), mask, veil, whitewash, bowdlerize, censor, complicate, confound, confuse, mistake, mix (up), mystify, obscure, equivocate, fib, lie, palter, prevaricate
    near: clarify, clear (up), explain, illuminate, illustrate, interpret, spell out, decipher

  2. to take place

    "wondered what was cooking when several police cars pulled up to their neighbor's house"

    similar: be, befall, betide, chance, come, come about, come down, come off, do, go down (slang), go on, hap, happen, occur, pass, transpire, come to pass
    related: break, develop, rise, shape (up), arise, come up, crop (up), materialize, spring (up), intervene, fall out, follow, result, turn out, go off, proceed

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Goose

The most common words with a similar meaning to Goose:

British: berk, charlie, git
Informal: lunatic, maniac
Slang: doofus
Chiefly British: nit
booby, cuckoo, ding-a-ling, ding-dong, dingbat, dipstick, featherhead, fool, half-wit, jackass, mooncalf, nincompoop, ninny, ninnyhammer, nitwit, nut, nutcase, simp, simpleton, turkey, yo-yo

Related Words for Goose

daredevil, madman, airhead, birdbrain, blockhead, dodo, dolt, donkey, dope, dork, dumbbell, dummy, dunce, fathead, gander, goon, idiot, ignoramus, imbecile, know-nothing, knucklehead, moron, numskull, pinhead, schlub, schlump, schnook, stock, featherbrain, scatterbrain

Near Antonyms of Goose

sage, thinker, brain, genius

Word Forms of Goose

Inflections: geese, goosed, goosing

Origin & Etymology of Goose

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

First known use: before 12th century

Words & Phrases Containing Goose

goose bumps, goose egg, goose pimples, goose-step, goose step, barnacle goose

Frequently Asked Questions about Goose

What does "Goose" mean?

"Goose" means any of numerous large waterfowl (family Anatidae) that are intermediate between the swans and ducks and have long necks, feathered lores, and reticulate tarsi. As an a noun and a verb, it is defined as: any of numerous large waterfowl (family Anatidae) that are intermediate between the swans and ducks and have long necks, feathered lores, and reticulate tarsi.

What is another word for "Goose"?

Other words for "Goose" include berk, booby, charlie, cuckoo, ding-a-ling, ding-dong, dingbat and dipstick. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Goose" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Goose"?

There are 75 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Goose". Common alternatives include berk, booby, charlie, cuckoo, ding-a-ling, ding-dong, dingbat, dipstick, doofus and featherhead.

How do you use "Goose" in a sentence?

Examples of "Goose" in a sentence: "don't be such a silly goose—you're dressed just fine for the party".

Is "Goose" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Goose" can be used as a noun and a verb, depending on the context.

How do you pronounce "Goose"?

"Goose" is pronounced /ˈgüs/.

What is the origin of the word "Goose"?

"Goose" comes from Middle English gos, from Old English gōs; akin to Old High German gans goose, Latin anser, Greek chēn. First known use: before 12th century.

What is another word for "Goose" meaning "a person who lacks good sense or judgment"?

When "Goose" (noun) means a person who lacks good sense or judgment, synonyms include berk, booby, charlie, cuckoo, ding-a-ling and ding-dong.