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Webster's Dictionary (1865)

2 entries under this word

Gouge

Gouge, n.

noun

(gowj; in most English authorities, gōōj), n. [Fr. gouge, N. Pr. gulbio, Sp. gubia, Pg. goiva, L. Lat. gubia, gucia, gulbia, gulvia, gulvium, It. gorbia, sgorbia. Cf. Bisc. gubia, bow, gubio, throat.]

  1. A chisel, with a hollow or semi-cylindrical blade for scooping or cutting holes, channels, or grooves, in wood or stone; a similar instrument, with curved edge, for turning wood.
  2. Imposition; cheat; fraud; also, an impostor; a cheat or trickish person. [Colloq. U. S.]

Gouge, v. t.

verbtransitive

(gowj) (Synop., §130), v. t. [imp. & p. p. GOUGED; p. pr. & vb. n. GOUGING.]

  1. To scoop out with a gouge.
  2. To force out, as the eye of a person, with the thumb or finger. [U. S.]

The practice of gouging is said to have existed formerly in the interior of some of the Southern States, but was never known elsewhere, except by hearsay. Bartlett. Gouging is performed by twisting the fore finger in a lock of hair, near the temple, and turning the eye out of the socket with the thumb nail, which is suffered to grow long for that purpose. Lambert. 3. To cheat; to get the advantage of in a bargain. [Colloq. U. S.]