# His goose was cooked origin?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/his-goose-was-cooked-origin/684373>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [March 23, 2014, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/his-goose-was-cooked-origin/684373 "2014-03-23T18:52:16Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\
**Post date:** [March 23, 2014, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/his-goose-was-cooked-origin/684373/1 "2014-03-23T18:52:16Z")

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Did this phrase originate with the burning of John Hus, as is typically stated?

I have had a hard time finding the answers on the internet, as I have not found a credible source that states this. The idea is that “hus” meant goose and when he was burned at the stake, they had “burned their own goose”…as in they were screwed.

Anyone know the origin of this phrase?

Thanks. 🙂

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**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\
**Post date:** [March 23, 2014, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/his-goose-was-cooked-origin/684373/2 "2014-03-23T19:19:36Z")

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It’s almost certainly British and dates(so far) only back to about 1851 in print.

I’d say Hus wasn’t the origin.

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**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\
**Post date:** [March 23, 2014, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/his-goose-was-cooked-origin/684373/3 "2014-03-23T20:41:03Z")

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> [@samclem](#):
>
> It’s almost certainly British and dates(so far) only back to about 1851 in print.
> 
> I’d say Hus wasn’t the origin.

Cool. Do you have cites to back yourself up, though?

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**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:** [March 23, 2014, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/his-goose-was-cooked-origin/684373/4 "2014-03-23T21:42:34Z")

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Michael Quinion cites an 1837 report of a court case here:

> **[World Wide Words: Cooking one's goose](http://www.worldwidewords.org/qa/qa-coo3.htm)**
>
> The origin of 'cooking one's goose' is investigated.

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**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\
**Post date:** [March 24, 2014, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/his-goose-was-cooked-origin/684373/5 "2014-03-24T02:32:12Z")

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> [@naita](#):
>
> Michael Quinion cites an 1837 report of a court case here:  
> [Cooking one's goose](http://www.worldwidewords.org/qa/qa-coo3.htm)

Superb cite. I forgot to check for Mr. Quinion.