give someone goss

In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.

Meaning · English

To beat or thrash someone.

Register: archaic, slang

Where it’s used: Used American English

Examples

An assistant about the theatre grappled him, and they were soon upon the floor engaged in a regular rough-and-tumble fight. Two-thirds of the foot-lights were at once kicked over, while shouts of "Fair play," "Turn 'em out," "Give him goss," "No gouging," were heard on all sides.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “give someone goss” mean?

To beat or thrash someone.

Is “give someone goss” formal or informal?

give someone goss is generally archaic, slang.