Take a gander at

Saturday, 2023-8-12, Phrase: Take a gander at

YouTube / iTunes / Spotify / Radio Public / Pocket Casts / Google Podcasts / Breaker / Overcast

Listen to ArtisanEnglish.jp posts & lesson intros here.



Phrase: Take a gander at

Have you ever heard someone say, “Take a gander at this,” and wondered what they meant?

Well, you’re not alone.

This phrase is a common idiom in English that means “to look at something.”

But where does it come from, and how do you use it?

Let’s find out! 

A gander is a term for a male goose.

You know, the ones honk, bite, and chase you around the park.

I’m embarrassed sometimes when I see Canada goose poop all over the grass in a park.

But they have one thing in common with humans: curiosity.

They like to stick their necks out and see what’s going on.

That’s why people started using “gander” as a slang word for “a glance” or “a peek.” 


So, when someone tells you to take a gander at something, they’re inviting you to check it out.


If your friend shows you their new, super expensive iPhone, you might say, “Wow, that’s cool! Can I take a gander at it?”  

But be careful not to confuse this phrase with another one that sounds similar: “Take a gander at him/her.”

This means “to admire someone’s appearance,” usually romantically or sexually.

For example, if you see a handsome man or a beautiful woman walking by, you might say, “Wow, take a gander at him/her!”

But don’t say this out loud because it is considered rude or creepy. 

And whatever you do, don’t mix up the two meanings of take a gander at.

You don’t want to end up like this guy: 

A- Hey, can I take a gander at your phone? 

B- Sure, here you go. 

A- Wow, take a gander at her! 

B- What? Who? 

A- She’s hot! 

B- Dude, that’s my girlfriend! 

A- Oh…awkward. 

B- Yeah…give me back my phone. 


Flesch-Kincaid Readability Test

This post is understandable by someone with at least a 6th-grade education (age 11).  

On the Flesch-Kincaid reading-ease test, this post scores 88.  

The easier a passage is to read, the higher the score on a scale of 0 – 100. 



Posted

in

by