| 释义 |
wayzgoose|ˈweɪzguːs|
[Alteration of waygoose, under which the earlier evidence for the word is given.
The eccentrically spelt form wayzgoose, which, although established in recent use, has not been found, exc. in Bailey's Dictionary, earlier than 1875, is prob. a figment invented in the interest of an etymological conjecture (see quot. 1731). Bailey's assertion that the word had the sense of ‘stubble-goose’ is unsupported, and is very unlikely; this allegation, and the accompanying fantastic misspelling of wase, may have been suggested by the idea that the obscure word waygoose could be explained on the assumption that it had lost a z. (The Eng. Dial. Dict. refers to Cope's Hampshire Glossary for ‘waze-goose, a stubble-goose’, but Cope's authority for this is a MS. word-list which, he says, ‘contained many words that had certainly no relation to the dialect of the county’.) It seems clear that the genuine traditional form among printers was waygoose, and that the form wayzgoose, now prevailing, is a supposed correction following the authority of Bailey. The statement that goose was ‘the principal dish’ (or even that it was eaten at all) at the ‘waygoose’ dinner is destitute of evidence. It is possible that waygoose may be a corruption by popular etymology of some earlier word, but no satisfactory explanation has been found either in English or in any foreign language.]
Originally, an entertainment given by a master-printer to his workmen ‘about Bartholomew-tide’ (24 August), marking the beginning of the season of working by candle-light. In later use, an annual festivity held in summer by the employees of a printing establishment, consisting of a dinner and (usually) an excursion into the country.
1731Bailey (ed. 5), Wayz, a Bundle of Straw. Wayz⁓goose, a Stubble-Goose, an Entertainment given to Journey⁓men at the beginning of Winter. [1833Temperley Songs of the Press 23 note, Way Goose.— The derivation of this term is not generally known. It is from the old English word wayz, stubble. A wayz Goose was the head dish at the annual feast of the forefathers of our fraternity. ‘Wayz Goose, a stubble Goose, an entertainment given to journeymen at the beginning of Winter.’—Bailey.]
1875Southward Dict. Typogr. 137 The wayzgoose generally consists of a trip into the country, open air amusements, a good dinner, and speeches and toasts afterwards. 1895Surrey Mirror 23 Aug. 2/7 The members of the typographical staffs of the Surrey Advertiser (Guildford) and the Surrey Mirror (Redhill) had their wayzgoose on Saturday last, when they journeyed to Brighton.
b. attrib.
a1880F. T. Buckland Notes & Jottings (1882) 39 London printers generally have a ‘wayzgoose’ dinner in the autumn. 1897F. T. Bullen Cruise of ‘Cachalot’ 372 Carriages were chartered, an enormous quantity of eatables and drinkables provided, and away we went, a regular wayzgoose or bean⁓feast party. |