Word Origin & History
gouge1350, from O.Fr. gouge, from L.L. gubia, alteration of gulbia "hollow beveled chisel," probably from Gaulish (cf. O.Ir. gulban "prick, prickle," Welsh gylfin "beak"). The verb is 1570, from the noun. Meaning "swindle" is Amer.Eng. colloquial from 1826 (implied in plural n. gougers).