goon
goon Lexical Profile
goon Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A bully or thug, especially one hired to terrorize, intimidate, or eliminate opponents.
"In the classic noir film, the corrupt businessman sent a pair of hired goons to intimidate the investigative journalist."
A foolish, eccentric, or stupid person.
"My brother acted like a complete goon at the family reunion to make the younger cousins laugh."
North American An ice hockey player whose primary role is to fight opposing players and protect teammates rather than score goals.
"The coach sent the team's veteran goon onto the ice to deter the opposing squad from playing too roughly."
Australian Inexpensive wine sold in a cardboard box or cask (informal slang).
"The backpackers bought a cheap box of goon to share around the hostel patio."
• verb
To act like a thug, bully, or foolish person, or to intimidate someone through rough tactics (informal).
"The opposing defensemen spent the entire third period trying to goon our star rookie off the puck."
• Rhymes for goon
Word Origin & Etymology
Originating in the 1920s from the dialectal English word 'gony' meaning 'simpleton', the term was popularized in the late 1930s by E. C. Segar's Popeye comic strip character Alice the Goon, which quickly gave rise to the sense of a hired thug or enforcer.