English · Idiom Historical

goose fair

Preserved but no longer current.

Meaning · English

A fair formerly held in many English towns about the time of Michaelmas (q.v.), when geese were plentiful. That still held at Nottingham was the most important.

Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)

Sources & notes

Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.

Topics: Ducks & geese Historical slang (1800s)

Common questions

What does “goose fair” mean?

A fair formerly held in many English towns about the time of Michaelmas (q.v.), when geese were plentiful. That still held at Nottingham was the most important.

Is “goose fair” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.

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