gooseberry

Related to gooseberry: cape gooseberry

be (as) green as a gooseberry

To be very young, immature, or inexperienced. Are you sure he's fit to run your campaign? He's just out of college and still as green as a gooseberry!
See also: gooseberry, green

do gooseberry

obsolete To act as a chaperone or escort for a young couple for whom being left alone would be seen as improper. The old matron insisted on doing gooseberry whenever the young maiden wished to spend time with her male suitor.
See also: gooseberry

green as a gooseberry

Very young, immature, and/or inexperienced. Are you sure he's fit to run your campaign? He's just out of college and still as green as a gooseberry!
See also: gooseberry, green

pick gooseberry

obsolete To act as a chaperone or escort for a young couple for whom being left alone would be seen as improper. The old matron insisted on picking gooseberry whenever the young maiden wished to spend time with her male suitor.
See also: gooseberry, pick

play (up) Old Gooseberry

1. obsolete To cause or partake in mischief, chaos, or havoc. "Old Gooseberry" is an archaic term for the Devil. The drunken revelers played Old Gooseberry as they caroused down the street, making as much noise and causing as much damage as they could.
2. obsolete To silence, defeat, or put an end to someone or something causing a disturbance. Often followed by "with." The constable came upon the scene and, with a strike of his billy club against the table, played up Old Gooseberry with the insolent knaves.
See also: gooseberry, old, play

play gooseberry

To spend time with two people who are in a romantic relationship and cause an awkward tension as a result. As John and Betty started cuddling up in the cinema, I wished I had just gone home instead of playing gooseberry.
See also: gooseberry, play
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

play gooseberry

BRITISH, INFORMAL
If you play gooseberry, you are in the company of two people who are having a romantic relationship and who want to be alone together. I left early — I didn't want to play gooseberry with you and Bev. Note: The origin of this expression is not known, although it may refer to the third person picking gooseberries to pass the time while the other two are busy being romantic.
See also: gooseberry, play
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed.

play gooseberry

be a third person who stays in the company of two people, especially lovers, who would prefer to be on their own.
Gooseberry is short for the earlier gooseberry-picker , referring to an activity as a pretext for lovers to be together.
See also: gooseberry, play
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary

play ˈgooseberry

(British English) be a third person with two people who have a romantic relationship and want to be alone together: Dave and Michelle invited me to go out with them but I don’t want to play gooseberry all evening.
See also: gooseberry, play
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary
See also:
  • be (as) green as a gooseberry
  • green as a gooseberry
  • if (one) is a day
  • if he is a day
  • if he's, she's, etc. a day
  • grow into
  • grow into (something)
  • be whistling in the dark
  • be going great guns
  • French leave
References in classic literature
Just before that, Gooseberry had noticed the mechanic among the people at the bar.
But I am as much puzzled to account for his sudden assumption of drunkenness as Gooseberry himself."
In a quarter of an hour more, the cab stopped in Shore Lane, and Gooseberry opened the door for us to get out.
"And Murder!" added Gooseberry, pointing, with a keener relish still, to the man on the bed.
The first sight that met my eyes, at the other end of the room, was the irrepressible Gooseberry, perched on a chair, and looking with breathless interest, over the heads of his elders, at the Sergeant's proceedings.
"He's pulling off his wig!" whispered Gooseberry, compassionating my position, as the only person in the room who could see nothing.
The Moonstone
It's smooth yet has a lime flavoured crispness with hints of gooseberry.
Put a cork in it
WHEN 73-year-old Bryan Nellist grew the biggest gooseberry ever recorded, last year, his feat became the latest footnote in a long tradition of passionate British berry growing.
Ripe for dessert
Westminster, MD, June 05, 2010 --(PR.com)-- Naturopathic doctor (natural medicine) Debra Baginski N.D., owner of Gooseberry Natural Feed, developed a patent pending nutritional line of feed to encourage equine owners to help their horses live up to their potential by using Gooseberry Natural Feed product line.
Gooseberry Natural Feed Store Grows Rapidly with Patent Pending Organic Products
Champteloup Touraine Sauvignon Blanc 2007 pounds 4.99 - Waitrose Sauvignon blanc and the Loire has to be a marriage made in heaven as illustrated by the grassy, lemon and gooseberry flavours on display here.
WINE SELLER; Four of the best from supermarket shelves
There are two types of gooseberry: culinary, which is ideal for cooking but too sharp to eat raw; and dessert, which is sweeter and can be eaten.
Good enough to eat
For a Gooseberry and Elderflower Fool for four, take: 500g (1lb) gooseberries, 100g (4oz) caster sugar, two strips pared lemon zest, two heads elderflower (optional), 3tbsp elderflower cordial, 142ml (5 fl oz) pot of double cream, 150ml (5 fl oz) freshly ready made custard.
food & drink: Make the most of an unpopular fruit
When you first bite into a gooseberry, the tartness of the skin is balanced by the burst of sweet nectar from the flesh of the fruit.
Discover delicious currants & gooseberries: these shade-tolerant berry bushes are a great choice for any garden
England was known for its gooseberry recipes during Colonial days, including the classic dessert, Gooseberry Fool, which consists of cooked and pureed fruit folded into whipped cream.
Results of trying new produce worth effort
Give gooseberries 2ozs sulphate of potash per bush and spray against American gooseberry mildew as flowers open.
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