play gooseberry

English

Verb

play gooseberry (third-person singular simple present plays gooseberry, present participle playing gooseberry, simple past and past participle played gooseberry)

  1. (dated, UK slang) To be an unwanted third party accompanying two lovers, to serve as a chaperon.
    • 1915, Lucy Maud Montgomery, “In the Park”, in Anne of the Island:
      "Well, new experiences are broadening. Come along, and you'll be able to sympathize with all poor souls who have to play gooseberry often.
    • 1930 April 11, The Brunswick and Coburg Gazette, Moonee Ponds, Vic, page 1, column 4:
      What do you do at night in cars? — I have never been in cars. Never in a car at night? — Only with my sister's young man. Do you play gooseberry? — No. My sister's young man often takes me and the children for a little drive.

Synonyms

Translations

See also

References

This article is issued from Wiktionary. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.