n. & v.
n. 1 a a chisel with a concave blade, used in carpentry, sculpture, and surgery. b an indentation or groove made with or as with this. 2 US colloq. a swindle.
v. 1 tr. cut with or as with a gouge. 2 tr. a (foll. by out) force out (esp. an eye with the thumb) with or as with a gouge. b force out the eye of (a person). 3 tr. US colloq. swindle; extort money from. 4 intr. Austral. dig for opal. gouger n.
[ F f. LL gubia, perh. of Celt. orig. ]