gouge Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun an impression in a surface (as made by a blow)
    ding; nick; dent.
  2. noun and edge tool with a blade like a trough for cutting channels or grooves
  3. noun the act of gouging
  4. verb force with the thumb
    force out.
    • gouge out his eyes
  5. verb obtain by coercion or intimidation
    extort; squeeze; wring; rack.
    • They extorted money from the executive by threatening to reveal his past to the company boss
    • They squeezed money from the owner of the business by threatening him
  6. verb make a groove in
    rout.

WordNet

Gouge noun
Etymology
F. gouge. LL. gubia, guvia, gulbia, gulvia, gulvium; cf. Bisc. gubia bow, gubioa throat.
Definitions
  1. A chisel, with a hollow or semicylindrical blade, for scooping or cutting holes, channels, or grooves, in wood, stone, etc.; a similar instrument, with curved edge, for turning wood.
  2. A bookbinder's tool for blind tooling or gilding, having a face which forms a curve.
  3. An incising tool which cuts forms or blanks for gloves, envelopes, etc.. from leather, paper, etc. Knight.
  4. (Mining) Soft material lying between the wall of a vein aud the solid vein. Raymond.
  5. The act of scooping out with a gouge, or as with a gouge; a groove or cavity scooped out, as with a gouge.
  6. Imposition; cheat; fraud; also, an impostor; a cheat; a trickish person. Slang, U. S.

Webster 1913