gouge something ↔ out phrasal verb ( see also ↑ gouge )
1 . to form a hole, space etc by digging into a surface and removing material, or to remove material by digging
gouge something ↔ out of
A rough road had been gouged out of the rock.
Every week 30,000 tonnes of slate are gouged out of the mountains.
2 . gouge sb’s eyes out to remove someone’s eyes with a pointed weapon