/ ˈgʊzbəri; NAmE ˈguːsberi/ noun
( pl. -ies ) a small green fruit that grows on a bush with thorns . Gooseberries taste sour and are usually cooked to make jam, pies , etc. Children are sometimes told that babies come from 'under the gooseberry bush' :
a gooseberry bush
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IDIOMS
- play gooseberry
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WORD ORIGIN
mid 16th cent.: the first element perhaps from goose , or perhaps based on Old French groseille , altered because of an unexplained association with the bird.