take a gander at

take a gander (at someone or something)

To glance or look at someone or something, especially in a quick, informal, or nonchalant manner. Hey, Barry, come take a gander at this engine and see if you can tell what's wrong with it. I took a gander, but nothing in the shop interested me. Wow, take a gander at that gorgeous guy at the bar!See also: gander, someone, take

take a gander at

Look at, glance at, as in Will you take a gander at that woman's red hair! This slangy idiom, dating from the early 1900s, presumably came from the verb gander, meaning "stretch one's neck to see," possibly alluding to the long neck of the male goose. For a synonym, see take a look at. See also: gander, take