goat

Etymology

From Middle English goot, got, gat, from Old English gāt, from Proto-West Germanic *gait, from Proto-Germanic *gaits, from a substrate language. The sense of lecherous man derives from the slang expression "horny as a goat".

noun

1. A mammal, Capra aegagrus hircus, and similar species of the genus Capra.
   1. (uncountable) The meat of the aforementioned animal.
      Ugh, we're having goat for dinner again.
2. (slang) A lecherous man.
3. (informal) A scapegoat.
   Fernando Rodney, the goat in Sunday's 10th inning loss to Tampa Bay, threw three nearly perfect innings in relief on Tuesday after being demoted from the closer role. 2008, "Tigers already miss Jones", in Royal Oak Daily Tribune (Michigan), Aug 6, 2008
   1997, "1997 World Series", Game 7, bottom 11th inning, TV broadcast on NBC Sports, early morning October 27, 1997; words by Bob Costas Tony Fernández, who has worn hero's laurels throughout the postseason including earlier in this seventh game of the World Series, now cruel as it may seem, perhaps being fitted for goat horns.
4. (slang) A Pontiac GTO car.
5. (speech recognition) A person who is not easily understood by a speech recognition system; contrasted with sheep.
6. A fool, loser, or object of ridicule.
   Samaurez said over his shoulder, “In fact, I missed being the class goat by only three places.” Gwen patted his arm, “But, look H-Two, George Pickett was the goat and see how famous he became.” 2008, Ned B. Ricks, Trusting Appearances: Things Are Not Always as They Seem, page 259
   ...Butch was the goat in that deal and innocent of the trap he was placed in. 2013, Larry Pointer, In Search of Butch Cassidy
   If Osterman wants to play the goat, why should you help him out? 2013, Frank Norris, The Octopus
7. (roller derby) A blocker who is isolated behind the opposing team's blockers, so as to slow down the pack.
8. (acronym) Alternative letter-case form of GOAT (“Greatest of All Time”)

verb

1. (transitive) To allow goats to feed on.
   Rape and clover has yielded 283 sheep days of pasture, practically dry weather […] For the coming year it is planned to goat this area continuously 1918, Agricultural Experiment Station, Director's Biennial Report, page 51
2. (transitive) To scapegoat.
   John Rocker, meanwhile, was spared from getting goated because he didn't blow a save July 15 2001, “A worthy Rusch to judgment”, in USA Today
3. (transitive, roller derby) To isolate (an opposing blocker) behind one's own blockers, so as to slow down the pack.