gouge
C1Formal (literal use), Informal (figurative financial use). More common in written English than everyday speech.
Definition
Meaning
to make a deep hole or cut in a surface with a sharp object; to force something out by cutting or digging.
To overcharge or swindle someone, especially by charging an unfairly high price (figurative, from the idea of forcefully extracting money).
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The literal sense implies a violent, damaging, or crude action, often resulting in a hollow or groove. The figurative financial sense (common in AmE) carries strong negative connotations of exploitation and dishonesty.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The literal meaning (cutting/hollowing) is standard in both. The figurative meaning 'to swindle/overcharge grossly' is more established and frequent in American English.
Connotations
UK: Primarily physical violence or damage. US: Strongly associated with unethical financial exploitation ('price gouging') in addition to the physical meaning.
Frequency
The term 'price gouging' is a fixed legal/business term in AmE, less codified in BrE where 'rip off' is more common for the concept.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[VN] gouge sth[VN] gouge sth out (of sth)[VN-ADJ] gouge sth + adj. (e.g., gouge it deep)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “gouge someone's eyes out (hyperbolic threat)”
- “price gouging (established compound noun)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
"The regulator fined the company for price gouging during the supply crisis."
Academic
"Glaciers gouged deep valleys into the bedrock during the last ice age."
Everyday
"I accidentally gouged the table with my keys."
Technical
"Use a chisel to gouge a mortise for the joint."
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The vandal gouged a crude message into the park bench.
- During the medieval battle, soldiers would often try to gouge out their opponents' eyes.
American English
- The hardware store was accused of gouging customers on generators after the storm.
- He used a screwdriver to gouge out the old putty from the window frame.
adverb
British English
- The wood was gouged deeply.
- The stone was gouged roughly by the tools.
American English
- The prices were gougingly high.
- The land was gouged out extensively by the mining operation.
adjective
British English
- The gouge marks on the door suggested a forced entry.
- They used a special gouge chisel for the woodwork.
American English
- The state has anti-gouge laws to prevent exploitation during emergencies.
- The gouge damage to the car's paint was extensive.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- Be careful not to gouge the wall with that furniture.
- The cat gouged the sofa with its claws.
- The sculptor gouged out large chunks of marble to begin the form.
- Protesters claimed the festival was gouging visitors with its food and drink prices.
- Legislation was swiftly enacted to criminalise price gouging of essential medicines.
- The asteroid impact gouged a crater hundreds of kilometres in diameter.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine an angry GOOSE (sounds like 'gouge') pecking a deep, nasty hole in your arm. The action is violent and leaves a mark.
Conceptual Metaphor
MONEY IS A SUBSTANCE FORCIBLY EXTRACTED (figurative). CRITICISM/DAMAGE IS A PHYSICAL CUT (literal).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Не переводить как 'гуж' (horse collar).
- Ближайший физический смысл: 'выдалбливать', 'выскребать', 'прорезать'.
- Финансовый смысл (AmE) близок к 'обдирать', 'вымогать завышенную цену'.
Common Mistakes
- Confusing spelling with 'gouge' vs. 'gouge'.
- Using it for light scratches (too weak).
- Overusing the figurative sense in BrE contexts.
Practice
Quiz
In American English, which phrase is a legally recognised term for unethical pricing?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, its core meaning is cutting or scooping out to create a hole/groove, but it has a strong figurative meaning in AmE (and increasingly in BrE) related to financial exploitation ('price gouging').
A scratch is typically a shallow, surface-level mark. To gouge implies a deeper, more damaging action that removes material and creates a depression.
Yes, though less common. As a noun, it refers to the tool used for gouging (a chisel with a curved blade) or the groove/hole made by the action (e.g., 'a deep gouge in the metal').
It is understood but is still perceived as an Americanism. Terms like 'excessive pricing', 'exploitative pricing', or 'profiteering' are more traditionally used in UK formal contexts, though 'price gouging' is gaining ground.