goose-egg

A baseball player's scorecard shows a goose-egg for the first inning.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A zero score: In sports or games, "goose-egg" refers to a score of zero, often represented by a zero on a scoreboard that resembles the shape of a goose egg.
   • Literal meaning: The actual egg of a goose.

Usage Examples

• Noun (zero score):

  • The team ended the match with a goose-egg on the scoreboard. (They scored zero points.)
  • He was disappointed to see a goose-egg next to his name in the tournament. (His score was zero.)

• Noun (literal egg):

  • The farmer collected a large goose-egg from the nest. (An actual egg laid by a goose.)

Advanced Usage

• "to get a goose-egg": to receive a score of zero.

  • The pitcher got a goose-egg in the first inning. (The pitcher allowed no runs.)

• "to lay a goose-egg": to fail to score or produce a result.

  • The investor laid a goose-egg this quarter. (The investor made no profit.)

Variants and Related Words

• Goose (n): a large waterbird.

  • The goose honked loudly. (The bird made a sound.)

• Egg (n): a round object laid by birds, containing a developing embryo.

  • She cracked an egg into the bowl. (She broke the shell of a bird's egg.)

Synonyms

• Zero: the number 0.
• Nil: nothing; zero.
• Null: having no value.

Idioms

• "to be left with a goose-egg": to have nothing or zero.

  • After the lottery, he was left with a goose-egg. (He won nothing.)

• "to hand someone a goose-egg": to cause someone to receive a zero score.

  • The goalkeeper handed the opposing team a goose-egg. (The goalkeeper prevented them from scoring.)