gaggle
noun
No English definition recorded for this entry.
L321090 on Wikidata ↗verb
No English definition recorded for this entry.
L331793 on Wikidata ↗Wiktionary
Pronunciation: /ˈɡæɡl̩/
noun
Etymology: From Middle English gagelen (“to cackle; cackle like a goose”). Compare Dutch gaggelen (“to cackle”), Icelandic gagl (“small goose; gosling”), Norwegian Nynorsk gagl (“wild goose”).
- A group of geese when they are on the ground or on the water.
“The Canada geese always flew over the 80 acre lake; it was a landmark on their route and a stopping point for many a gaggle, where many hours were spent after feeding in the farmers' fields.”
“They're only referred to as a gaggle when they're on land. When they're flying in formation they can be referred to as a skein.”
- Any group or gathering of related things, particularly one perceived as noisy, boisterous or chaotic.
“A gaggle of gays—probably no more than 15 or so, but from our perspective there seemed to be literally scores of them—pranced, skipped and otherwise just plain camped their way into the last few rows of seats.”
“There were no signs and no one quite knew how to navigate the museum, including, as it was Fleet Week, gaggles of boyish sailors all in their summer whites. It looked like a Frank Sinatra movie.”
- Short for press gaggle: an informal briefing of journalists.
“Last week, Mr. Trump told the [Christian Science] Monitor during a gaggle with reporters that there were “about four” other states where Republicans should redraw the maps besides Texas.”
- A group of women.
verb
Etymology: From Middle English gagelen (“to cackle; cackle like a goose”). Compare Dutch gaggelen (“to cackle”), Icelandic gagl (“small goose; gosling”), Norwegian Nynorsk gagl (“wild goose”).
- To make a noise like a goose; to cackle.
“Geese do gaggle”
“When a friend asked Socrates, how he could bear the scolding of his wife Xantippe? he retorted, and asked him, how he could bear the gaggling of his geese?”