n. [ OE. gossander, a tautological word formed fr. goose + gander. Cf. Merganser. ] (Zool.) A species of merganser (M. merganser) of Northern Europe and America; -- called also merganser, dundiver, sawbill, sawneb, shelduck, and sheldrake. See Merganser. [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. Geese [ OE. gos, AS. gōs, pl. gēs; akin to D. & G. gans, Icel. gās, Dan. gaas, Sw. gås, Russ. guse. OIr. geiss, L. anser, for hanser, Gr. chh`n, Skr. ha&msdot_;sa. √233. Cf. Gander, Gannet, Ganza, Gosling. ] (Zool.) [ 1913 Webster ]

1. Any large web-footen bird of the subfamily Anserinæ, and belonging to Anser, Branta, Chen, and several allied genera. See Anseres. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ The common domestic goose is believed to have been derived from the European graylag goose (Anser anser). The bean goose (A. segetum), the American wild or Canada goose (Branta Canadensis), and the bernicle goose (Branta leucopsis) are well known species. The American white or snow geese and the blue goose belong to the genus Chen. See Bernicle, Emperor goose, under Emperor, Snow goose, Wild goose, Brant. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Any large bird of other related families, resembling the common goose. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ The Egyptian or fox goose (Alopochen Aegyptiaca) and the African spur-winged geese (Plectropterus) belong to the family Plectropteridæ. The Australian semipalmated goose (Anseranas semipalmata) and Cape Barren goose (Cereopsis Novæ-Hollandiæ) are very different from northern geese, and each is made the type of a distinct family. Both are domesticated in Australia. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A tailor's smoothing iron, so called from its handle, which resembles the neck of a goose. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. A silly creature; a simpleton. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. A game played with counters on a board divided into compartments, in some of which a goose was depicted. [ 1913 Webster ]

The pictures placed for ornament and use,
The twelve good rules, the royal game of goose. Goldsmith. [ 1913 Webster ]

A wild goose chase, an attempt to accomplish something impossible or unlikely of attainment. --
Fen goose. See under Fen. --
Goose barnacle (Zool.), any pedunculated barnacle of the genus Anatifa or Lepas; -- called also duck barnacle. See Barnacle, and Cirripedia. --
Goose cap, a silly person. [ Obs. ] Beau. & . --
Goose corn (Bot.), a coarse kind of rush (Juncus squarrosus). --
Goose feast, Michaelmas. [ Colloq. Eng. ] --
Goose grass. (Bot.) (a) A plant of the genus Galium (G. Aparine), a favorite food of geese; -- called also catchweed and cleavers. (b) A species of knotgrass (Polygonum aviculare). (c) The annual spear grass (Poa annua). --
Goose neck, anything, as a rod of iron or a pipe, curved like the neck of a goose; specially (Naut.), an iron hook connecting a spar with a mast. --
Goose quill, a large feather or quill of a goose; also, a pen made from it. --
Goose skin. See Goose flesh, above. --
Goose tongue (Bot.), a composite plant (Achillea ptarmica), growing wild in the British islands. --
Sea goose. (Zool.) See Phalarope. --
Solan goose. (Zool.) See Gannet. [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. Gooseberries [ Corrupted for groseberry or groiseberry, fr. OF. groisele, F. groseille, -- of German origin; cf. G. krausbeere, kräuselbeere (fr. kraus crisp), D. kruisbes, kruisbezie (as if crossberry, fr. kruis cross; for kroesbes, kroesbezie, fr. kroes crisp), Sw. krusbär (fr. krus, krusing, crisp). The first part of the word is perh. akin to E. curl. Cf. Grossular, a. ] 1. (Bot.) Any thorny shrub of the genus Ribes; also, the edible berries of such shrub. There are several species, of which Ribes Grossularia is the one commonly cultivated. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A silly person; a goose cap. Goldsmith. [ 1913 Webster ]

Barbadoes gooseberry, a climbing prickly shrub (Pereskia aculeata) of the West Indies, which bears edible berries resembling gooseberries. --
Coromandel gooseberry. See Carambola. --
Gooseberry fool. See 1st Fool. --
Gooseberry worm (Zool.), the larva of a small moth (Dakruma convolutella). It destroys the gooseberry by eating the interior. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Same as gooseflesh. [ PJC ]

. 1. In games, a zero; a score or record of naught; -- so named in allusion to the egglike outline of the zero sign 0. Called also duck egg. [ Slang ] [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

2. A bump on the skin caused by a blow, especially one on the head. [ PJC ]

n. (Zool.) See Angler. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A peculiar roughness of the skin produced by cold or fear, in which the hair follicles become erect and form bumps on the skin; -- called also goose skin, goose pimples, goose bumps.
Syn. -- goose bumps, goose pimples, goose skin. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. (Bot.) A genus of herbs (Chenopodium) mostly annual weeds; pigweed. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Bot.), A low-growing perennial (Potentilla anserina) having leaves silvery beneath; foundin Northern U. S., Europe, and Asia.
Syn. -- silverweed, goose-tansy, Potentilla anserina. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. Same as gooseflesh. [ PJC ]