gouge

To gouge something is to cut, dig, or scoop deeply into it, usually in a rough or forceful way. A sharp tool might gouge a line into wood, and a rock might gouge the side of a car or boat. The word is also used for money: if someone gouges you, they charge far too much, often because they know you have little choice. A shop might gouge customers during an emergency, or a mechanic might gouge you with an unfair bill. In all these uses, the idea is the same: something is taken out, cut into, or forced too far.

The word "gouge" is used when something is cut into, scooped out, or damaged in a deep and forceful way. In a physical sense, it can describe making a long, deep mark or hole. A knife might gouge wood, a falling bike pedal might gouge a wall, or a sharp rock might gouge the bottom of a boat. The damage is usually more than a light scratch; it suggests that material has been torn out or pushed aside.

The word also has a common money-related meaning. If a person or business gouges people, they charge much more than is fair. This often comes up in phrases like "price gouging," especially when prices rise sharply during a storm, disaster, or other urgent situation. In this use, the word suggests taking money from people in a harsh and unfair way.

There is also a related noun meaning: a "gouge" can be a deep cut or hollow mark, and it can also be a curved tool used for carving wood or stone. These meanings are connected by the same core image of digging into a surface and removing material.

So whether someone gouges a piece of wood, gouges a deep mark into metal, or gouges customers with unfair prices, the word carries the sense of force, damage, or taking too much.