A Dictionary of the English Language
                        A Digital Edition of the 1755 Classic by Samuel Johnson
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Goose

View Scan · View Transcription · from page 925

View Scan · View Transcription · from page 925

Goose. n.s. plural geese. [ᵹoꞅ, Saxon; goes, Dutch; gawe, Erse, sing. gewey, plural.]

  1. A large waterfowl proverbially noted, I know not why, for foolishness.

                        Thou cream-faced lown,
    Where got'st thou that goose look?     Shakesp. Macbeth.

    Since I pluckt geese, play'd truant, and whipt top, I knew not what 'twas to be beaten 'till lately. Shakespeare.

    Smile you my speeches, as I were a fool?
    Goose, if I had you upon Sarum plain,
    I'd drive ye cackling home to Comelot.     Shakes. King Lear.

    Birds most easy to be drawn are waterfowl; as the goose and swan. Peacham on Drawing.

    Nor watchful dogs, nor the more wakeful geese,
    Disturb with nightly noise the sacred peace.     Dryd. Fables.

  2. A taylor's smoothing iron.

    Come in, taylor: here you may roast your goose. Shakesp.

Sources: Dryden, John (788) · Shakespeare's King Lear (144) · Shakespeare's Macbeth (136) · Shakespeare's Merry Wives of Windsor (95) · Peacham, Henry (53)

Attributes: Dutch (90) · Irish (Erse) (11) · Noun Substantive (1269) · Saxon (215)

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Cite this page: Johnson, Samuel. "Goose." A Dictionary of the English Language: A Digital Edition of the 1755 Classic by Samuel Johnson. Edited by Brandi Besalke. Last modified: April 27, 2014. https://johnsonsdictionaryonline.com/goose/.

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