# someone's goose is cooked

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/someones-goose-is-cooked
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

All hope is gone; there is no possibility of success; the period of good fortune is over.

## Examples

- If you miss the deadline again, your goose is cooked.
- The boss found out about the missing money, so he knows his goose is cooked.
- Once the audit revealed the systematic fraud, the manager realized his goose was cooked and resigned immediately.

## Origin

Unclear. Unconvincing claims have been made of the term's origin in Aesop's Fables (The Goose That Laid the Golden Eggs) and in Swedish history. Attested as cook someone's goose from 1845. (disputed)

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.