gowk

1 of 2

noun

ˈgəu̇k,

ˈgäk,

ˈgōk

plural -s

1

dialectal, British : cuckoo

2

dialectal, British : simpleton, fool, gawk

sat there all evening like a great gowk

—Flora Thompson

gowk

2 of 2

intransitive verb

ˈgəu̇k

-ed/-ing/-s

chiefly Scottish

: to gaze or stare vacantly

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English goke, gowke from Old Norse gaukr cuckoo; akin to Old English gēac cuckoo, Old High German gouh

Intransitive verb

Middle English (Scots dialect) gowken, perhaps from gowk, noun

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