Google
English-Test.net
Find penpals and make new friends today!
 
to bend; to turn sharply in a different direction
angle
release
foster
carry
TOEIC preparation test: Word quiz questions: Free Online Verbs Adjectives Game Answer
 
Username
Password
 Remember me? 
Search   FAQ   Memberlist   Profile   Private messages   Register   Log in 

Meaning of Gooseberry



 
ESL/EFL Worksheets and Handouts for Students Printable, photocopiable, clearly structured
Designed for teachers and individual learners
For use in a classroom, at home, on your PC
ESL Forums | What do you want to talk about?
China has launched a spaceship -- what do you think about it? | How would you react?
Listening exercises
Message
Author
Meaning of Gooseberry #1 (permalink) Sun Oct 12, 2003 3:24 am   Meaning of Gooseberry
 

Can anyone tell me why meaning of word Gooseberry goosebery is used when describing the behiour of a third person pushing into the company of a couple who want to be alone?

Why gooseberry?
Advoca
New Member


Joined: 12 Oct 2003
Posts: 3
Location: Beijing

Prickles? #2 (permalink) Sun Oct 12, 2003 8:05 am   Prickles?
 

Maybe, it's because a goosberry has prickles and therefore nobody wants to touch it - so a person nobody wants to work or deal with is like a goosberry. Just my musing...
Savvythought
I'm new here and I like it ;-)


Joined: 01 Oct 2003
Posts: 19
Location: Canada

English grammar exercises — improve your English knowledge and vocabulary skillsLearn all about English adverbs in this amusing storyThis newsletter tells you all about English! Subscribe to free email English courseAre you a native speaker of English? Then you should read this!
Origin obscure... #3 (permalink) Sun Oct 12, 2003 8:48 am   Origin obscure...
 

Advoca wrote:
Can anyone tell me why the word goosebery is used when describing the behiour of a third person pushing into the company of a couple who want to be alone?
Why gooseberry?

An interesting one!
Most of my reference books don't seem to have much on this expression and simply say «origin obscure», which means they don't know!
The only explanation I've come up with is that «gooseberry» was a euphemism for the devil and clearly this would make sense.
The devil is naturally an unwanted third party.
_________________
English as a Second Language
You can read my ESL story Too Many Words
Alan
Co-founder
Alan Townend

Joined: 27 Sep 2003
Posts: 9119
Location: UK

Gooseberry #4 (permalink) Tue Oct 14, 2003 18:41 pm   Gooseberry
 

Smile
*laugh*
If gooseberry is an euphemism for the devil, I would like to be one.

Best wishes
Twisted Evil teufelchen53
Teufelchen53
I'm new here and I like it ;-)


Joined: 14 Oct 2003
Posts: 39
Location: Bonn, Germany

Display posts from previous:   
China has launched a spaceship -- what do you think about it? | How would you react?
ESL Forums | What do you want to talk about? Meaning of Gooseberry All times are GMT + 1 Hour
Page 1 of 1
Latest topics on ESL EFL Forums
Am I too old to learn English?Booby on the beat?If father time married mother nature, what would they name their child?LLOYDS TSB, the high street bankDirty tricks campaignDo we have to change our time?Doubts, doubts, doubtsYou are of ...?Economics TermsKnow, Know OFIs this a bad word?First responsesWhere are you from in China?How many Russian speakers?Is this correct?Largest country?English exam?From Clark: That it is a real piece of professional projectMeaning of Gooseberry

Discover English-test.net
Lead you to believemeaning of "It's such a drag"the most formal way to propose a phone appointementHow can you say this? (to prepare to go to school)Wilbur Smith Spammers UniteGRE vocab test: Increase Vocabulary: English AdjectivesGRE vocabulary test: Word find games: Free Online Adjective QuizDefine insuperable, estranged, belated, demented, factitious, withdrawnDefinition of empty, pregnant, both, patient, soft, fresh, whole, alive, horrible, grayConversation exercises: Idioms with the phrasal verb getEnglish worksheets download: Food IdiomsJohn Peel Remembered: Margrave Of The Marshes & Home Truths audiobook download

 
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
Subscribe to FREE email English course
First name E-mail