goose-step en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- /ˈɡuː.stɛp/
- (Southern-England) audio
- /ˈɡuːs.stɛp/
Etymology
From goose + step.
Meanings
-
(derogatory, often) A style of march in which the legs advance in turn without bending the knee, whether as a low quick march or a rigorous high slow march for ceremonial occasions, especially associated with Prussian (or, more generally, German) soldiers.
The balance or goose-step introduced for their practice excites a fever of disgust.
1806 Feb. 11, Robert Thomas Wilson, JournalThe small boys had discovered the goose step, and it filled their little souls with amazement and delight. That human beings should consent to those ridiculous paces seemed to them almost incredibly funny.
1916, HG Wells, Mr Britling Sees it Through, London: Hogarth Press, published 1985, page 204:The goose-step, for instance, is one of the most horrible sights in the world, far more terrifying than a dive-bomber. It is simply an affirmation of naked power; contained in it, quite consciously and intentionally, is the vision of a boot crashing down on a face.
1941, George Orwell, The Lion and the Unicorn, Pt. I:
- A deceptive step that breaks the normal flow of running and allows a player to accelerate and/or change direction quickly while simultaneously confusing the defender.
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| goose-steps | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Deriveds
Translations (16)
bg патешко ходене (a style of marching) · ja ガチョウ足行進 (a style of marching) · no hanemarsj (a style of marching) · mi hōkaikai (a style of marching) · da strækmarch (a style of marching) · tr kaz adımı (a style of marching) · ca pas de l'oca (a style of marching) · nl ganzenpas (a style of marching) · de Stechschritt (a style of marching) · it passo dell'oca (a style of marching) · el βήμα της χήνας (a style of marching) · mi hīkoi hōkaikai (a style of marching) · fi hanhenmarssi (a style of marching) · cmn 正步 (a style of marching) · fr pas de l’oie (a style of marching) · pl krok defiladowy (a style of marching)