# Etymology of the slang word "Goosed" **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 19, 2010, 8:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/etymology-of-the-slang-word-goosed/554267 "2010-09-19T08:49:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![AllFreedomUnlessDefyingScience](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e36b37/32.png) [@AllFreedomUnlessDefyingScience](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AllFreedomUnlessDefyingScience)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2010, 8:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/etymology-of-the-slang-word-goosed/554267/1 "2010-09-19T08:49:23Z")
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? ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2010, 9:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/etymology-of-the-slang-word-goosed/554267/2 "2010-09-19T09:45:56Z")
Theory: It makes them honk like a goose. Reality: No idea. ---
**Author:** ![naita](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naita/32/5862_2.png) [@naita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/naita)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2010, 10:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/etymology-of-the-slang-word-goosed/554267/3 "2010-09-19T10:04:54Z")
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: > [@](#): > > Any action involving poking or proding of one’s buttock’s as if you are being snapped at by a goose. ---
**Author:** ![standingwave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@standingwave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/standingwave)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2010, 10:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/etymology-of-the-slang-word-goosed/554267/4 "2010-09-19T10:14:03Z")
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] [http://www.thefreedictionary.com/goosed](http://www.thefreedictionary.com/goosed) ---
**Author:** ![ramel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eb8c5e/32.png) [@ramel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ramel)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2010, 10:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/etymology-of-the-slang-word-goosed/554267/5 "2010-09-19T10:27:10Z")
Maybe geese peck or bite people? Their head would be at around the right height, and people used to heard geese in the past. ---
**Author:** ![naita](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naita/32/5862_2.png) [@naita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/naita)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2010, 10:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/etymology-of-the-slang-word-goosed/554267/6 "2010-09-19T10:46:09Z")
> [@ramel](#): > > 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](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kd3ioueUNHI) (It’s “herd” geese.) ---
**Author:** ![PlainJain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5daacb/32.png) [@PlainJain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PlainJain)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2010, 11:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/etymology-of-the-slang-word-goosed/554267/7 "2010-09-19T11:36:10Z")
[quote=“naita, post:6, topic:554267”] > [@ramel](#): > > (It’s “herd” geese.) Sure, I’ve herd of geese… ---
**Author:** ![robardin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/43a26b/32.png) [@robardin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robardin)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2010, 11:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/etymology-of-the-slang-word-goosed/554267/8 "2010-09-19T11:59:34Z")
> [@naita](#): > > (It’s “herd” geese.) Hmm. That’s not what I herd. I call bull on this one. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2010, 12:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/etymology-of-the-slang-word-goosed/554267/9 "2010-09-19T12:00:28Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Fridgemagnet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/22d042/32.png) [@Fridgemagnet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fridgemagnet)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2010, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/etymology-of-the-slang-word-goosed/554267/10 "2010-09-19T13:13:50Z")
> [@samclem](#): > > There is also the theory that it started as British rhyming slang–goose & duck=fuck. _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 1. poke (someone) in the bottom 2. 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. ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2010, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/etymology-of-the-slang-word-goosed/554267/11 "2010-09-19T19:52:52Z")
> [@robardin](#): > > > [@naita](#): > > > > (It’s “herd” geese.) > > Hmm. That’s not what I herd. I call bull on this one. Technically there were no bull geese; take a gander at the definitions. 😉