The etymology of slang is often impossible to trace, but I’m wondering about the term “Goosed” in regards to reaching briefly between a (I think it’s sex based) woman’s legs. Does anyone have any idea? Is this action in any way similar to something a goose would do? Does anyone have any other theories?
Theory: It makes them honk like a goose.
Reality: No idea.
I’m not sure about the definition you’re using, but I expect it’s derived from the definition I am familiar with. And that is succinctly described at urban dictionary like this:
This confirms my guess…
goose2 Slang
vb
(tr) to prod (a person) playfully in the behind
n pl gooses
a playful prod in the behind
[from goose1, probably from a comparison with the jabbing of a goose’s bill]
Maybe geese peck or bite people? Their head would be at around the right height, and people used to heard geese in the past.
When geese attack: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kd3ioueUNHI
(It’s “herd” geese.)
[quote=“naita, post:6, topic:554267”]
Sure, I’ve herd of geese…
Hmm. That’s not what I herd. I call bull on this one.
There is also the theory that it started as British rhyming slang–goose & duck=fuck. Many of the early uses talk more about anally fucking instead of the playful poking with which we associate the word today.
A Dictionary of Obscenity, Taboo and Euphemism (James McDonald, 1988): "(col.) To copulate with, or more generally to touch in a sexually sensitive area.
The earliest meaning was ‘to copulate with’, which is not surprising given the origin of the term. To goose is really to goose and duck, rhyming slang for fuck."
My much larger Dictionary of Contemporary Slang (Tony Thorne, 1990), omits the word altogether, a glaring omission leaving given the inclusion of the unrelated but adjacent gooseberry and goosegog.
The Oxford English Dictionary has for the verb form: " verb
[with object] informal
- poke (someone) in the bottom
- North American give (something) a boost; invigorate:the government’s desire to goose the tired housing market."
Pity the tired North American housing market, as if it didn’t have enough problems.
Technically there were no bull geese; take a gander at the definitions. 