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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.