1881. New York Slang Dict., s.v.
Gander, subs. (colloquial).—A married man; in America one not living with his wife; a grass-widower (q.v.).
Verb. (old).—To ramble; to waddle (as a goose). Also, to go in quest of women; to grouse (q.v.).
1859. H. Kingsley, Geoff. Hamblyn, ch. x. Nell might come gandering back in one of her tantrums.
1861. H. Kingsley, Ravenshoe, ch. xlvii. She gandered upstairs to the dressing-room again.
Gone Gander.—See Gone Coon.
To see how the gander hops, verb. phr. (American.)—To watch events. A variant of To see how the cat jumps.
1847. Porter, Big Bear, p. 96. Seein’ how the gander hopped I jumped up and hollered, Git out, Tromp, you old raskel!
What’s sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander, phr. (common).—A plea for consistency.
Gander-month, subs. (common).—The month after confinement; when a certain license (or so it was held) is excusable in the male. Also Gander-moon, the husband at such a period being called a Gander-mooner. Cf., Buck-hutch and Goose-month.