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Goose & gander

Posted by Smokey Stover on March 18, 2005

In Reply to: Goose & gander (again) posted by - on March 17, 2005

: : I've heard the expression "What's good (or sauce) for the goose is good (or sauce) for the gander" used in two different ways (a) "The same rules apply to everyone" (i.e. "if one person can/can't have it, so should/shouldn't everyone else"; more specifically "if a woman is entitled/not entitled, so is/neither is a man" OR (c) if you please a woman (or "the wife") you will (indirectly) please a man (or "the husband"). There was some discussion about the phrase a while ago, but I can't find it. Thanks.

: Try entering "goose gander" in the search box.

The OED reports the expression from 1704 (Brown's "New Maxims." A similar expression, but without the sauce, is reported from 1579. SS

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