gosling

plural goslings · alternative obsolete regional goslin

1. A young goose.

   Marta's gander was a magnificent snow-white bird: the object of terror to foxes, children and dogs. She had reared him as a gosling; and whenever he approached, he would let fly a low contented burble and sidle his neck around her thighs.

   1988, Bruce Chatwin, Utz, London: Jonathan Cape, →ISBN; republished London: Vintage Books, 2005, →ISBN, page 50

   Synonyms: gooseling

2. An inexperienced and immature, or foolish and naive, young person.

   Two stout woodmen with difficulty cut down this tree, the chips of which flew far and wide about the hall; but at my command my two green goslings carried away the fragments without any difficulty.

   1862 April 19, “Mediums Under Other Names”, in All the Year Round, volume 7, page 132

3. datedA catkin on willows, nut trees, and pines.

   When the oak puts on his goslings grey 'Tis time to sow barley night or day.

   1893, “Tree Proverbs”, in The Journal of Education, volume 37, page 170

   3 more examples

   These Aments (we must no longer call them catkins) are composed both of male and female flowers; what Henry calls goslings in spring are the Aments of the willow tree ; his green goslings are female Aments , and , when mature , have the appearance of little tufts of wool, which appearance is caused by the downy material that crowns their feeds;

   1797, Botanical Dialogues, Between Hortensia and Her Four Children, page 8

   The common Sallow or Goat Willow (Salix caprea) forms a small bush in rough places and the hollows left by old gravel-pits. It produces the “goslings” which children are fond of gathering at Easter .

   1901, Edward North Buxton, Epping Forest, page 116

   In the afternoon: cut back the crack willow around the pool; the fluffy flowers fall on the water. Locally, the flowers are known as 'goslings'. Water. It has no motion of its own; it is the mechanic betrayer of other forces. the breeze gently drifts the goslings to the far shore.

   2018, John Lewis-Stempel, The Wood: The Life & Times of Cockshutt Wood

plural Goslings

1. A surname.