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Moose vs Goose - What's the difference?

moose | goose |

As nouns the difference between moose and goose

is that moose is the largest member of the deer family (Alces alces), of which the male has very large, palmate antlers while goose is any of various grazing waterfowl of the family Anatidae, bigger than a duck.

As a verb goose is

to sharply poke or pinch someone's buttocks. Derived from a goose's inclination to bite at a retreating intruder's hindquarters.

moose

English

Etymology 1

Earlier mus'', ''moos , from a Northeastern (etyl) language name for the animal, such as (etyl) moos, mws (cognate to (etyl) moos, (etyl) mos, (etyl) moz), from , referring to how a moose strips tree bark when feeding. Online Etymology Dictionary

Noun

  • (US) The largest member of the deer family (Alces alces ), of which the male has very large, palmate antlers.
    • We saw a moose at the edge of the woods by the marsh .
  • (informal) An ugly person
    • Usage notes
    * The use of (as with the names of many animals, such as deer and fish, which are also invariant); however, this usage can sometimes be considered stilted when a group of more than one moose are considered individually, in which case avoidance of the plural may be the best option, necessitating the employment of a circumlocution.
    Synonyms
    * (l) (British), (l) (qualifier)
    Derived terms
    * moosebird * moose deer * mooseling * moosey * moose yard * mooseyness
    See also
    * (wikipedia "moose")

    Etymology 2

    From (etyl) moes.

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (obsolete, rare) A stew.

    • References

    English invariant nouns English irregular plurals English plurals ----

    goose

    English

    Noun

    (geese)
  • Any of various grazing waterfowl of the family Anatidae, bigger than a duck
    • There is a flock of geese on the pond.
  • The flesh of the goose used as food.
  • *
  • (slang) A silly person
  • * {{quote-book, 1906, Langdon Mitchell, chapter=The New York Idea, Best Plays of the Early American Theatre, 1787-1911, page=430 citation
    • , passage=I'm sorry for you, but you're such a goose .}}
  • (archaic) A tailor's iron, heated in live coals or embers, used to press fabrics.
  • * Scene 3:
    • Come in, tailor. Here you may roast your goose .
  • (South Africa, slang, dated) A young woman or girlfriend.

    • Usage notes

    * A male goose is called a gander. A young goose is a gosling. * A group of geese can be called a gaggle when they are on the ground or in the water, and a skein or a wedge when they are in flight.

    Synonyms

    * (sense, tailor's iron) goose iron

    Derived terms

    * game of the goose * goose egg * goose game * goose pimple * gooseneck * goose-step * Mother Goose * what's sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander * one's goose is cooked

    See also

    * duck * eider * gander * swan * waterfowl

    Verb

    (goos)
  • (slang) To sharply poke or pinch someone's buttocks. Derived from a goose's inclination to bite at a retreating intruder's hindquarters.
  • To stimulate, to spur.
  • (slang) To gently accelerate an automobile or machine, or give repeated small taps on the accelerator.
  • (UK slang) Of private-hire taxi drivers, to pick up a passenger who has not pre-booked a cab. This is unauthorised under UK licensing conditions.
    • English nouns with irregular plurals