Found 2 items, similar to Anser anser.
English → English (WordNet)
Definition: Anser anser
Anser anser
n : common gray wild goose of Europe; ancestor of many domestic
breeds [syn:
graylag,
greylag,
greylag goose]
English → English (gcide)
Definition: Anser anser
Goose
\Goose\ (g[=oo]s), n.; pl.
Geese (g[=e]s). [OE. gos, AS.
g[=o]s, pl. g[=e]s; akin to D. & G. gans, Icel. g[=a]s, Dan.
gaas, Sw. g[*a]s, Russ. guse. OIr. geiss, L. anser, for
hanser, Gr. chh`n, Skr. ha[.m]sa. [root]233. Cf.
Gander,
Gannet,
Ganza,
Gosling.] (Zo["o]l.)
[1913 Webster]
1. Any large web-footen bird of the subfamily
Anserin[ae],
and belonging to
Anser,
Branta,
Chen, and several
allied genera. See
Anseres.
[1913 Webster]
Note: The common domestic goose is believed to have been
derived from the European graylag goose (
Anser anser
). The bean goose (
A. segetum), the American
wild or Canada goose (
Branta Canadensis), and the
bernicle goose (
Branta leucopsis) are well known
species. The American white or snow geese and the blue
goose belong to the genus
Chen. See
Bernicle,
Emperor goose, under
Emperor,
Snow goose,
Wild goose
,
Brant.
[1913 Webster]
2. Any large bird of other related families, resembling the
common goose.
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Note: The Egyptian or fox goose (
Alopochen [AE]gyptiaca)
and the African spur-winged geese (
Plectropterus)
belong to the family
Plectropterid[ae]. The
Australian semipalmated goose (
Anseranas semipalmata)
and Cape Barren goose (
Cereopsis Nov[ae]-Hollandi[ae]
) are very different from northern
geese, and each is made the type of a distinct family.
Both are domesticated in Australia.
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3. A tailor's smoothing iron, so called from its handle,
which resembles the neck of a goose.
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4. A silly creature; a simpleton.
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5. A game played with counters on a board divided into
compartments, in some of which a goose was depicted.
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The pictures placed for ornament and use,
The twelve good rules, the royal game of goose.
--Goldsmith.
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A wild goose chase, an attempt to accomplish something
impossible or unlikely of attainment.
Fen goose. See under
Fen.
Goose barnacle (Zo["o]l.), any pedunculated barnacle of the
genus
Anatifa or
Lepas; -- called also
duck barnacle
. See
Barnacle, and
Cirripedia.
Goose cap, a silly person. [Obs.] --Beau. & .
Goose corn (Bot.), a coarse kind of rush (
Juncus squarrosus
).
Goose feast, Michaelmas. [Colloq. Eng.]
Goose grass. (Bot.)
(a) A plant of the genus
Galium (
G. Aparine), a
favorite food of geese; -- called also
catchweed and
cleavers.
(b) A species of knotgrass (
Polygonum aviculare).
(c) The annual spear grass (
Poa annua).
Goose neck, anything, as a rod of iron or a pipe, curved
like the neck of a goose; specially (Naut.), an iron hook
connecting a spar with a mast.
Goose quill, a large feather or quill of a goose; also, a
pen made from it.
Goose skin. See
Goose flesh, above.
Goose tongue (Bot.), a composite plant (
Achillea ptarmica
), growing wild in the British islands.
Sea goose. (Zo["o]l.) See
Phalarope.
Solan goose. (Zo["o]l.) See
Gannet.
[1913 Webster]
Graylag
\Gray"lag`\, n. (Zo["o]l.)
The common wild gray goose (
Anser anser) of Europe,
believed to be the wild form of the domestic goose. See
Illust. of
Goose.
[1913 Webster]