Old English gandra "male goose," from Proto-Germanic *gan(d)ron- (cf. Dutch gander, Middle Low German ganre), from PIE *ghans- "goose" (see goose (n.)). OED suggests perhaps originally the name of some other water-bird and cites Lithuanian gandras "stork." Sometimes used 19c. like stag in reference to single men or male-only gatherings. Meaning "a long look" is 1912, from gander (v.).
"take a long look," slang, 1886, from gander (n.) on the notion of craning one's neck like a goose; earlier it meant "to wander foolishly" (1680s). Related: Gandered; gandering.
A look; close scrutiny; glance: I'll have a gander at the prices (1887+)
verb: Want to gander at TV for a while? (1914+)
Related Terms[fr the stretched, gooselike neck of someone gazing intently]
town, northeastern Newfoundland, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. It lies just north of Gander Lake, 206 miles (332 km) northwest of St. John's. Gander is home to a major international airport. The site was selected as an air base in 1935 by the British Air Ministry, and transatlantic flights began in 1939. During World War II it was a vital base for air ferries to Britain and Atlantic patrol aircraft. In 1945 the base became a civil airport controlled by the Newfoundland government, and in 1949, when Newfoundland joined the Canadian confederation, the airport was acquired by the Canadian government. The airport became a principal stopover point in the early years of postwar transatlantic air travel, but its importance diminished with the introduction of long-range aircraft that did not require refueling.