goner

English

Alternative forms

Etymology

From gone + -er. First attestations around 1850.

Pronunciation

  • (Received Pronunciation) enPR: gänʹər, IPA(key): /ˈɡɒnə(ɹ)/
  • (General American) enPR: gônʹər, IPA(key): /ˈɡɔːnɚ/
  • (file)
  • Rhymes: -ɒnə(ɹ), -ɔːnə(ɹ)

Noun

goner (plural goners)

  1. (informal) Someone (or something) doomed; a hopeless case, especially someone who is bound to die soon.
    I'm a goner if this plan doesn't work.
    You'll be a goner if I hit you with this gun.
    • 2001, Jamie O’Neill, At Swim, Two Boys, London: Scribner, Part 2, Chapter 20, p. 620:
      The sergeant was a goner. There was only one way to save him, and he threw himself on top, hurling the man to the ground.
    • 2007 November 1, Jeff Goodell, “James Lovelock, the Prophet”, in Rolling Stone:
      Retreat, in his view, means it’s [] about making plans for the migration of millions of people from low-lying regions like Bangladesh into Europe; about admitting that New Orleans is a goner and moving the people to cities better positioned for the future.
  2. (baseball slang) A ball hit out of the playing area for a home run.

Translations

Further reading

Anagrams

Middle English

Noun

goner

  1. Alternative form of gunner
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