Part 561

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.

2. Any large bird of other related families, resembling the common goose.

The Egyptian or fox goose (Alopochen ∆gyptiaca) and the African spur-winged geese (Plectropterus) belong to the family PlectropteridÊ. The Australian semipalmated goose (Anseranas semipalmata) and Cape Barren goose (Cereopsis NovÊ-HollandiÊ) are very different from northern geese, and each is made the type of a distinct family. Both are domesticated in Australia.

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

4. A silly creature; a simpleton.

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

The pictures placed for ornament and use, The twelve good rules, the royal game of goose.

Goldsmith.

A wild goose chase, an attempt to accomplish something impossible or unlikely of attainment. -- Fen goose. See under Fen. -- Goose barnacle (Zoˆl.), 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 flesh, a peculiar roughness of the skin produced by cold or fear; -- called also goose skin. -- 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. (Zoˆl.) See Phalarope. -- Solan goose. (Zoˆl.) See Gannet.

Goose"ber*ry (?), n.; pl. Gooseberries (#), [Corrupted for groseberry or groiseberry, fr. OF. groisele, F. groseille, -- of German origin; cf. G. krausbeere, kr‰uselbeere (fr. kraus crisp), D. kruisbes, kruisbezie (as if crossberry, fr. kruis cross; for kroesbes, kroesbezie, fr. kroes crisp), Sw. krusb‰r (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.

2. A silly person; a goose cap. Goldsmith.

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 lst Fool. -- Gooseberry worm (Zoˆl.), the larva of a small moth (Dakruma convolutella). It destroys the gooseberry by eating the interior.

Goose"fish` (?), n. (Zoˆl.) See Angler.

Goose"foot` (?), n. (Bot.) A genus of herbs (Chenopodium) mostly annual weeds; pigweed.

Goos"er*y (?), n.; pl. Gooseries (&?;). 1. A place for keeping geese.

2. The characteristics or actions of a goose; silliness.

The finical goosery of your neat sermon actor.

Milton.

Goose"wing` (?), n. (Naut.) One of the clews or lower corners of a course or a topsail when the middle part or the rest of the sail is furled.

Goose"winged` (?), a. (Naut.) (a) Having a "goosewing." (b) Said of a fore-and-aft rigged vessel with foresail set on one side and mainsail on the other; wing and wing.

Goos"ish, a. Like a goose; foolish. [Obs.] Chaucer.

Goost (?), n. Ghost; spirit. [Obs.] Chaucer.

Goot (?), n. A goat. [Obs.] Chaucer.

Go"-out` (?), n. A sluice in embankments against the sea, for letting out the land waters, when the tide is out. [Written also gowt.]

Go"pher (?), n. [F. gaufre waffle, honeycomb. See Gauffer.] (Zoˆl.) 1. One of several North American burrowing rodents of the genera Geomys and Thomomys, of the family GeomyidÊ; -- called also pocket gopher and pouched rat. See Pocket gopher, and Tucan.

The name was originally given by French settlers to many burrowing rodents, from their honeycombing the earth.

2. One of several western American species of the genus Spermophilus, of the family SciuridÊ; as, the gray gopher (Spermophilus Franklini) and the striped gopher (S. tridecemlineatus); -- called also striped prairie squirrel, leopard marmot, and leopard spermophile. See Spermophile.

3. A large land tortoise (Testudo Carilina) of the Southern United States, which makes extensive burrows.