gooseberry en · NOUN
Pronunciation
Etymology
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.
Meanings
-
A fruit of species Ribes uva-crispa, related to the currant.
We had a good haul of gooseberries from our bushes this year.
- Any other plant or fruit in the subgenus Grossularia, distinguished from currants by bearing spines, including Ribes hirtellum (American gooseberry).
- Any of several other plants that are not closely related but bear fruit in some way similar: ▸ Chinese gooseberry or kiwifruit, the edible berry of a cultivar group of the woody vine Actinidia chinensis var. deliciosa and hybrids between this and others in the genus Actinidia
- Any of several other plants that are not closely related but bear fruit in some way similar: ▸ Indian gooseberry (Phyllanthus emblica), emblic, amla.
- Any of several other plants that are not closely related but bear fruit in some way similar: ▸ Ceylon gooseberry, a species of Dovyalis native to Sri Lanka and southern India
- Any of several other plants that are not closely related but bear fruit in some way similar: ▸ Barbados gooseberry (Pereskia aculeata), an unusual cactus
- Any of several other plants that are not closely related but bear fruit in some way similar: ▸ Long Key locustberry or shiny locustberry (Byrsonima lucida)
- Any of several other plants that are not closely related but bear fruit in some way similar: ▸ Jamaican gooseberry tree (Phyllanthus acuminatus), a herb-like plant
- Any of several other plants that are not closely related but bear fruit in some way similar: ▸ star gooseberry ▸ Otaheite gooseberry (Phyllanthus acidus)
- Any of several other plants that are not closely related but bear fruit in some way similar: ▸ star gooseberry ▸ Katuk (Sauropus androgynus), a shrub grown in some tropical regions as a leaf vegetable
- Any of several other plants that are not closely related but bear fruit in some way similar: ▸ Physalis angulata, also called balloon cherry and cutleaf groundcherry
- Any of several other plants that are not closely related but bear fruit in some way similar: ▸ Cape gooseberry (Physalis peruviana), indigenous to South America
- Any of several other plants that are not closely related but bear fruit in some way similar: ▸ poison gooseberry (Withania somnifera)
- (British, dated, slang) A chaperone.
-
(UK) An additional person who is neither necessary nor wanted in a given situation.
Kryten, you are a total gooseberry. Next time I play on the AR machine I'm going to give you some money and send you to the pictures.
1993 October 21, Rob Grant, Doug Naylor, Gunmen of the Apocalypse (Red Dwarf), season 6, episode 3, spoken by Dave Lister (Craig Charles):"But," said Philippa dolefully, "if I go I'll have to be gooseberry, and that will be a new experience for Philippa Gordon."
1915, L[ucy] M[aud] Montgomery, “In the Park”, in Anne of the Island, New York, N.Y.: A[lbert] L[evi] Burt Company, →OCLC:Robert and Susan were so in love with each other that nobody could go near them without feeling like a gooseberry.
- (British, dated, slang) A fool.
- (British, dated, slang) A fantastic story; a tall tale; a hoax.
- (British, dated, plural-normally, slang, vulgar) A testicle.
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| gooseberries | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Deriveds
Cape gooseberry · gooseberryish · gooseberrylike · gooseberry tart · gooseberry-grinder · gooseberry season · gooseberry dieback · Chinese gooseberry · do gooseberry · gooseberry wig · spreading gooseberry · Old Gooseberry · gooseberry garnet · green as a gooseberry · gooseberry pudding · sea-gooseberry · gooseberry rust · play gooseberry · Missouri gooseberry · gooseberry lay · pick gooseberry · gooseberry gourd · Coromandel gooseberry · gooseberrying · gooseberry-eyed · gooseberry-picker · gooseberry mildew · sea gooseberry · gooseberry eye · gooseberry tree
Synonyms
ha'p'orth · sucker · fuckwit · bangers · klackers · dote · tosser · gig · bozo · gooseberries · meathead · numskull · cods · dolt · pods · bonehead · giggle berries · dipshit · chuckles · der-brain · not the sharpest knife in the drawer · twerp · stepchildren · teabags · swingers · love spuds · huevos · sohai · shithead · yarbles · gink · dingus · bannocks · muggins · orchis · acorns · boys · dingleberry · alcatote · fathead · brickhead · Charlie · jolthead · bayard · geck · smooth brain · cojones · stupid · yams · cobblers · dumb fuck · nupson · ballocks · nadgers · tosspot · wally · dumbass · Jatz crackers · dope · slang) · goosegog · shit for brains · knucklehead · divvo · dirtbrain · plonker · half-baked · family jewels · knackers · moron · prat · cullions · plums · goober · wazzock · lamebrain · oaf · clart · doodle · bolls · thickhead · chucklehead · apples · schmo · dill pickle · fiddle · nads (UK · Homer Simpson · marbles · crown jewels · divvy · dullard · buffoon · pebbles · softhead · chump · asshat · eggs · watermelons · mug · gonads · stones · baws · dunce · store · pinhead · Jacobs · US) · dipstick · profiteroles · gump · blither · bags · berries · balls · taters · numps · third wheel · wantwit · bollocks · nitwit · agates · clown · donk · beans · chowderhead · sot · nuts · dummy · spuds · tests · nimrod · maroon · coin purse · bean bags · berk · dupe · dunderhead · cubes · schmuck · chicken nuggets · cherries · div · pillock · loins · imbecile · testicles · arsehole · testes · retard · goolies · doofus · potatoes · mong · snapperhead · twat · gowk · nincompoop · ignoramus · gubbins · jerk · gooseberry · dimwit · jamoke · nit · twit · jolterhead · jawbreakers · bubbles · dim bulb · jughead · dork · tool · bobchin · sweetmeats · birdbrain · clockweights · dotterel · nards · lamb fries · tubelight · fenderhead · dumbbell · numpty · rocks · yampy · dumbo · asshole · tonto · fifth wheel · apricots · twins · mushhead · fuzznut · shitwit · jerkoff · mameluke (US (Italian-American) · juggins
Translations (117)
eo groso (fruit) · lv stiķene (fruit) · mi kuihipere (fruit) · fi karviaismarja (fruit) · ru крыжо́вник (fruit) · fa انگور فرنگی (fruit) · nl stekerbees (fruit) · ka ხურტკმელი (fruit) · no stikkelsbær (fruit) · it ultima ruota del carro (additional person) · es uva espina (fruit) · oj zhaaboominagaawanzh (fruit) · ro agrișă (fruit) · da stikkelsbær (fruit) · bg цариградско грозде (fruit) · paw hukiriikas (fruit) · de Stachelbeere (fruit) · yi אַגרעס (fruit) · kk қарлыған (fruit) · ca el o la que aguanta l'espelma (additional person) · pt groselha (fruit) · mic gawaqtejg (fruit) · rm ivaspina (fruit) · cmn 電燈泡 /电灯泡 (additional person) · ca agrassó (fruit) · tr bektaşi üzümü (fruit) · ru как собаке пятая нога (additional person) · it uva spina (fruit) · kw growsen (fruit) · lt agrastas (fruit) · sk egreš (fruit) · alt тожло (fruit) · is garðaber (fruit) · es uva crespa (fruit) · ja グーズベリー (fruit) · ta நெல்லிக்காய் (fruit) · hu piszke (fruit) · hu egres (fruit) · az motmotu (fruit) · hy փշահաղարջ (fruit) · syl ꠄꠃꠟꠣ (fruit) · pl agrest (fruit) · uz krijovnik (fruit) · squ tʼem̓xw (fruit) · ko 까치밥 나무 (fruit) · tl agraso (fruit) · fr groseille à maquereau (fruit) · io grozelo (fruit) · cy eirinen Fair (fruit) · nb stikkelsbær (fruit) · fo stikkulsber (fruit) · de fünftes Rad am Wagen (additional person) · nl kruisbes (fruit) · uk аґрус (fruit) · unm shëwinkëlës (fruit) · mhr крыжовник (fruit) · es carabina (additional person) · es trotona (additional person) · cy gwsberen (fruit) · ur روئیں دار پھل (fruit) · el φραγκοστάφυλο (fruit) · ltg agrysta (fruit) · cr ᓵᐳᒥᐣ (fruit) · tg бектошӣ (fruit) · nv kʼíníjíłʼahí (fruit) · pl piąte koło u wozu (additional person) · ru как телеге пятое колесо (additional person) · fi kolmas pyörä (additional person) · sh kosmulja (fruit) · ar عِنَب الثَعْلَب (fruit) · et tikker (fruit) · as আমলখি (fruit) · sh ogroz (fruit) · hu köszméte (fruit) · xpq pasqatam (fruit) · gl grosella (fruit) · cmn 醋栗 (fruit) · yue 電燈膽 /电灯胆 (additional person) · te ఉసిరి (fruit) · ga spíonán (fruit) · sco groser (fruit) · nl klapbes (fruit) · lb Déck Kréischel (fruit) · ca grosella (fruit) · ky тикен жемиш (fruit) · lv ērkšķoga (fruit) · eo grosbero (fruit) · mt ċawsla (fruit) · sv krusbär (fruit) · mk огрозд (fruit) · ml നെല്ലിക്ക (fruit) · abe kôwakwimen (fruit) · cs angrešt (fruit) · fi karviainen (fruit) · ru не пришей кобыле хвост (additional person) · eu arakatz (fruit) · mi kūpere (fruit) · oj zhaaboomin (fruit) · sh ogrozd (fruit) · lv krizdole (fruit) · fa گالشانگور (fruit) · sq person i tretë (additional person) · lb Gréng Kréischel (fruit) · af appelliefie (fruit) · is stikilsber (fruit) · sw tunda bukini (fruit) · mhr ужаршоптыр (fruit) · sl kosmulja (fruit) · kk тұшала (fruit) · et karusmari (fruit) · be агрэст (fruit) · mr आवळा (fruit) · ne अमला (fruit) · nrf grouaîsile (fruit) · mhr пуншоптыр (fruit) · sv stickelbär (fruit) · pdt Kjressbäa (fruit)