1892. Milliken, ’Arry Ballads, p. 22. He didn’t appear quite so sound on the goose as he ought to ha’ done.
To find fault with a fat goose, verb. phr. (old).—To grumble without rhyme or reason.—B. E. (1690).
To kill the goose for the golden eggs, verb. phr. (colloquial).—To grasp at more than is due; to over-reach oneself. (From the Greek fable.)
Everything is lovely and the goose hangs high, phr. See Everything.
He’ll be a man among the geese when the gander is gone, phr. (old).—Ironical; = ‘He’ll be a man before his mother.’
Go! shoe the goose, phr. (old).—A retort, derisive or incredulous = the modern ‘To hell and pump thunder.’
Unable to say boh! to a goose, phr. (colloquial).—Said of a bashful person.—Grose.
1892. Milliken, ’Arry Ballads, p. 76. And now … he can hardly say boh to a goose.
See also Wild-goose Chase.
Goose-and-Duck, subs. phr. (rhyming).—A fuck.