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Meaning & use

gander

noun·Advanced

Last updated

UK/ˈɡændə/
US/ˈɡændər/

Meanings

  1. nouncountable

    A male goose.

    Grammar: Takes a plural: ganders; the female is a goose.

    Patterns

    • a gander and a goose

    The gander hissed at anyone who came near the pond.

    A gander led the geese across the yard.

    The farmer kept one gander and six geese.

  2. nounsingularinformal

    A quick look at something.

    Grammar: Usually take a gander or have a gander: with at.

    Patterns

    • take a gander at something
    • have a gander

    Take a gander at this old photograph.

    Let me have a gander at your new phone.

    She took a quick gander at the menu.

Word forms

pluralganders

Common combinations

take a gander
Take a gander at what I found.
have a gander
Have a gander at the map before we leave.
what's good for the goose is good for the gander
If she can leave early, then what's good for the goose is good for the gander.
a quick gander
He took a quick gander at the score.
gander and goose
A gander and goose swam together.

Synonyms and how they differ

look
Look is the neutral, general word, while gander is playful and informal.
peek
Peek suggests looking secretly or quickly at something, often hidden.
glance
Glance is a very brief look, less deliberate than take a gander.
squiz
Squiz is an Australian slang word for a quick look.

Word family

goose noun
the female bird, or the species in general
gosling noun
a young goose
geese noun
the plural of goose

Commonly confused: gander or gender?

gander vs gender

Gender is about being male or female and sounds a bit like gander, but is a different word.

Practice

I haven't seen your new car yet; can I take a ___ at it?

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