English · Slang Attested

Paddy's Goose

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

Sense 1

Meaning · English

The White Swan, a celebrated public house in Ratcliff Highway, east London, England.

Examples

"Paddy's Goose," or the "White Swan," as it is called by its owner, is perhaps the most frightful hell-hole in London. The very sublimity of vice and degradation is here attained, […]

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).

Sense 2

Meaning · English

the sign of the White Swan, a noted flash public-house in the east of London, supposed to be Paddy’s idea of a GOOSE.

Era: ca. 1874 (Victorian)

Where it’s used: Origin British & Irish English

Sources & notes

Historical definition reproduced from Hotten’s The Slang Dictionary (1874, public domain; Project Gutenberg #42108, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.

Topics: Ducks & geese Historical slang (1800s)

Common questions

What does “Paddy's Goose” mean?

The White Swan, a celebrated public house in Ratcliff Highway, east London, England.

Is “Paddy's Goose” formal or informal?

Paddy's Goose is generally slang.