gooseberry

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English[edit]

WOTD – 13 September 2012
gooseberry fruit (Ribes uva-crispa)
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Etymology[edit]

From goose +‎ berry. It is possible that the first element was originally something related to the gros- of French groseille and/or the kruis- of Dutch kruisbes but has been altered by folk etymology.

Pronunciation[edit]

Noun[edit]

gooseberry ‎(plural gooseberries)

  1. A fruit, Ribes uva-crispa, closely related to the currant.
    We had a good haul of gooseberries from our bushes this year.
  2. Ribes hirtellum, the closely related American gooseberry.
  3. Any of several other plants that are not closely related but bear fruit in some way similar:
    1. the Chinese gooseberry or kiwifruit, the edible berry of a cultivar group of the woody vine Actinidia deliciosa and hybrids between this and other species in the genus Actinidia
    2. the Indian gooseberry, Phyllanthus emblica, emblic, amla.
    3. the Ceylon gooseberry, a species of Dovyalis native to Sri Lanka and southern India
    4. the Barbados gooseberry, Pereskia aculeata, an unusual cactus
    5. The Long Key locustberry or shiny locustberry, Byrsonima lucida
    6. Jamaican gooseberry tree, Phyllanthus acuminatus, a herb-like plant
    7. star gooseberry
      1. Otaheite gooseberry, Phyllanthus acidus
      2. Katuk, Sauropus androgynus, a shrub grown in some tropical regions as a leaf vegetable
    8. Physalis angulata, also called balloon cherry and cutleaf groundcherry
    9. Cape gooseberry, Physalis peruviana, indigenous to South America
    10. poison gooseberry, Withania somnifera
  4. (dated, British slang) A chaperone.[1]
  5. (chiefly Britain) An additional person who is neither necessary nor wanted in a given situation.
    • 1915, Lucy Maud Montgomery, Anne of the Island, Chapter VI:
      "But," said Philippa dolefully, "if I go I'll have to be gooseberry, and that will be a new experience for Philippa Gordon."
      "Well, new experiences are broadening. Come along, and you'll be able to sympathize with all poor souls who have to play gooseberry often.
    Robert and Susan were so in love with each other that nobody could go near them without feeling like a gooseberry.
  6. (dated, British slang) A fool.[1]
  7. (dated, British slang) A fantastic story; a tall tale; a hoax.[1][2]
  8. (dated, British slang, vulgar, chiefly in the plural) A testicle.[1]

Synonyms[edit]

Derived terms[edit]

Translations[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Farmer, John Stephen (1893) Slang and Its Analogues[1], volume 3, pages 182–184
  2. ^ Barrère, Albert; Leland, Charles Godfrey (1889) A Dictionary of Slang, Jargon & Cant, volume 1, page 419
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