fox and geese

noun

Definition of fox and geese

1a : a board game in which pegs or pieces representing geese can be moved only forward in their attempt to corner the fox while the piece representing the fox can move in any direction and can remove geese from the board by jumping them

b : a similar game played on a checkerboard in which four pieces representing geese are moved forward one space at a time to try to corner the fox who can be moved one space at a time forward or back but cannot jump

— called also devil and the tailors

2 : a game usually played in the snow in which one player representing the fox tries to catch one of the others representing the geese as they run around the rim and through the spokes of a wheel-shaped figure