road-goosen.
/ˈrəʊdɡuːs/, U.S. /ˈroʊdˌɡus/ English regional. Now rare.
The brent goose, Branta bernicla. Cf. rood goose n., rot-goose n.
ΘΚΠ
the world > animals > birds > freshwater birds > order Anseriformes (geese, etc.) > [noun] > member of subfamily Anserinea (goose) > genus Branta > branta bernicla (brant)
rood goose1531
brant1544
rout1550
brent1570
brant-goose1597
red goose1609
rot-goose1625
road-goose1673
rat goose1676
bra-goose1749
ware-goose1852
1673 J. Ray Coll. Eng. Words 95 The road-Goose, or small Wild Goose.
1676 F. Willughby & J. Ray Ornithologiæ iii. 276 (heading) The Rat-Goose or Road-goose. Brenthus fortasse.
1766 T. Pennant Brit. Zool. ii. 151 The Rat or Roadgoose, of Mr. Willoughby, agrees in so many respects with this kind [sc. the brent goose], that we suppose it to be only a young bird not come to full feathers.
1824 J. Latham Gen. Hist. Birds X. 261 The Brent Goose is known in some parts of England by the name of Rat or Road Goose.
1894 A. Newton et al. Dict. Birds: Pt. III 793 Rode-goose, a local name given by fowlers to the Brant-Goose.
1902 J. A. Owen & G. S. Boulger Country Month by Month (new ed.) x. 377 It is also called ware-goose and road-goose, and its call note is a loud ‘honk-honk!’
1921 J. H. Gurney Early Annals Ornithol. viii. 92 The Brent is a bird which I have often heard called Rode or Road Goose on the estuary of the river Tees in Durham, where in winter it is rather common.
1928 A. E. Pease Dict. Dial. N. Riding Yorks. App. III Rood or Rawd-goose, Brent Goose..; formerly very common in winters about the Tees mouth.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2010; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
<
n.1673