gosling
See also: Gosling
English edit
Alternative forms edit
- goslin (obsolete, regional)
Etymology edit
From Late Middle English goslyng (“gosling”), alteration (due to Middle English goos (“goose”)) of earlier gesling (“gosling”), of North Germanic origin, from Old Norse gæsling, géslingr (“gosling”), from gás (“goose”) + -lingr (“-ling”), equivalent to goose + -ling. Cognate with Danish gæsling (“gosling”), Swedish gässling (“gosling”). Compare also Low German gossel, gössel (“gosling”), German Gänslein (“gosling”).
Pronunciation edit
- (UK) IPA(key): /ɡɒzlɪŋ/
Audio (Southern England) (file) - (US, Canada) IPA(key): /ɡɑzlɪŋ/
Audio (US) (file)
Noun edit
gosling (plural goslings)
- A young goose.
- 1988, Bruce Chatwin, Utz, London: Jonathan Cape, →ISBN; republished London: Vintage Books, 2005, →ISBN, page 50:
- Marta's gander was a magnificent snow-white bird: the object of terror to foxes, children and dogs. She had reared him as a gosling; and whenever he approached, he would let fly a low contented burble and sidle his neck around her thighs.
- An inexperienced and immature, or foolish and naive, young person.
- 1862 April 19, “Mediums Under Other Names”, in All the Year Round, volume 7, page 132:
- Two stout woodmen with difficulty cut down this tree, the chips of which flew far and wide about the hall; but at my command my two green goslings carried away the fragments without any difficulty.
- (dated) A catkin on willows, nut trees, and pines.
- 1797, Botanical Dialogues, Between Hortensia and Her Four Children, page 8:
- These Aments (we must no longer call them catkins) are composed both of male and female flowers; what Henry calls goslings in spring are the Aments of the willow tree ; his green goslings are female Aments , and , when mature , have the appearance of little tufts of wool, which appearance is caused by the downy material that crowns their feeds;
- 1893, “Tree Proverbs”, in The Journal of Education, volume 37, page 170:
- When the oak puts on his goslings grey 'Tis time to sow barley night or day.
- 1901, Edward North Buxton, Epping Forest, page 116:
- The common Sallow or Goat Willow (Salix caprea) forms a small bush in rough places and the hollows left by old gravel-pits. It produces the “goslings” which children are fond of gathering at Easter .
- 2018, John Lewis-Stempel, The Wood: The Life & Times of Cockshutt Wood:
- In the afternoon: cut back the crack willow around the pool; the fluffy flowers fall on the water. Locally, the flowers are known as 'goslings'. Water. It has no motion of its own; it is the mechanic betrayer of other forces. the breeze gently drifts the goslings to the far shore.
Derived terms edit
Related terms edit
Descendants edit
- → Irish: góislín
Translations edit
young goose
|
callow, or foolish and naive, young person
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Anagrams edit
Middle English edit
Noun edit
gosling
- Alternative form of goselyng