gossoon

English

Alternative forms

Etymology

From Irish garsún, from Old French garçun. Doublet of garçon.

Pronunciation
  • (UK) IPA(key): /ɡɒˈsuːn/

Noun

gossoon (plural gossoons)

  1. (Ireland) A young boy, a servant boy; a lackey.
    • 1866, Patrick Kennedy, “Jack and His Comrades”, in Legendary Fictions of the Irish Celts:
      ..and a whole army of gorsoons were hunting a poor dog with a kittle tied to his tail.
    • 1912, Joseph Guinan, The Curate of Kilcloon, page 90:
      "Thank you for the compliment, your Reverence," he replied, construing the delicate innuendo in a favourable sense' "sure every one, high and low, knows Andy Spain, the roadmaker, after his forty years on the highway, since I was a gossoon helpin' my father, who was a roadmaker before me.Bedad, I am a well-known character, and no mistake."
    • 2002, Joseph O'Connor, Star of the Sea, Vintage, published 2003, page 63:
      ‘He wants to be something he's not,’ he'd say. ‘He's fish, that gossoon, and he wants to be fowl.’

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