gosling

C2 · Proficiency Countable noun Literary · Archaic

n. a young person who is foolish or does not have much experience.

n. a young, inexperienced, or foolish person. Often used with a patronizing tone.

“The old sailor laughed at the young gosling who thought the sea would be calm.”

“In the play, the protagonist is portrayed as a mere gosling, easily manipulated by the more cynical members of the court.”

C2 · Proficiency Countable noun Archaic · Dialect

n. a soft, furry flower that grows on trees like willows.

n. a catkin, particularly the soft, downy spike of flowers found on willows or nut trees.

“The children gathered willow goslings to feel their soft, grey fur.”

“The poet compared the budding goslings on the hazel trees to the first signs of a returning spring.”