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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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GECK, v., n. Also gaik (Abd.) and obs. forms gek, geake, geik, gick; ¶geyk. [gɛk, gek]

I. v. †1. tr. To deceive, cheat, beguile. Also fig.Abd. 1768 A. Ross Helenore 79:
That ye was geck'd, to say, ye's hae na need, Ye's get a hitch unto your tocher gueed.Gsw. 1877 A. G. Murdoch Laird's Lykewake 166:
E'en let mischanter geck your heels, An' thraw your steyest step.

‡2. intr. With at: to mock at, scoff at, deride (Fif., Lth., Ayr. 1923–26 Wilson; Abd., Ags. 1954). Rarely tr. Also in n.Eng. dial.Sc. c.1714 Jacobite Minstr. (1829) 45:
Fient that she ride the aiver stiff, Sin' she has geck'd at me!Sc. 1725 Ramsay Gentle Shepherd i. i.:
She Bauldy loes, . . . But gecks at me, and says I smell of Tar.Edb. 1772 R. Fergusson Poems (1925) 16:
For he's a gowk they're sure to geck at, (A chiel that ne'er will be respekit.)Ayr. 1784 Burns O Tibbie i.:
Ye geck at me because I'm poor — But fient a hair care I!Sc. 1816 Scott Antiquary xxxiii.:
She gecked and scorned at my northern speech and habit.Fif. 1845 T. C. Latto Minister's Kail-yard 182:
She scorns an' she gecks me whene'er I gae by; O the Dominie's dochter is far aboon me!Bnff. 1869 W. Knight Auld Yule 68:
Ye'd thraw the neck O' him that wad your wife deroge, Or at her geck.Ags. 1920 A. Gray Songs 30:
What gars you geck at a' the pein That ance I tholed upon this place.wm.Sc. 1937 W. Hutcheson Chota Chants 7:
For she cast her e'e like she gecked at me, And had nae respect for my job.Fif. 1985 Tom Hubbard in Joy Hendry Chapman 40 30:
Nane o thae chiels is scunnert bi
The pouer o their ain quickenin bree
But oor faur-northren fikyness
Gecks at the thocht o sic a mess:
Oor betters wadnae think it meet
Tae tak oor native speirit neat!

Hence gecker, a mocker, scorner.Edb. 1916 T. W. Paterson Wyse-Sayin's xxi. 24:
The prood an' vauntie man — His richt name is Gecker at a' that's guid.

3. intr. (1) To toss the head in scorn (Ayr. 1923 Wilson Dial. Burns 165; Ags.¹⁸ 1954, rare); to lift the head proudly; “to look in a pert saucy manner, expressive of derision” (Bnff., Cld. 1880 Jam.), to stare rudely (Cai., Mry., Abd., Kcb. 1954). Ppl.adj. geckin', “pert and somewhat light-headed” (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 60, Bnff.² 1946). Also used tr.: to geck (up) the head.Sc. 1728 Ramsay Poems (S.T.S.) II. 44:
But gecking up her Head, quoth she, Poor Animal, I pity thee.Per. 1766 A. Nicol Poems 20:
When Jenny geakes, and scorns my tale.Ayr. 1786 Burns Dream viii.:
Adieu, my Liege! may Freedom geck Beneath your high protection.Kcb. 1789 D. Davidson Seasons 119:
Nell scorned Tam, an' geck'd her head; An' boder'd him wi' mocking.Slk. 1813 Hogg Queen's Wake 177:
He [lion] goulit at the keryl, and he geckit at hevin.Ags. 1822 A. Balfour Farmers' Three Daughters I. vi.:
She gicks her head at ae thing, an' sneers at anither.Dmf. 1823 J. Kennedy Poems 89:
At daimen times a coach and four, With gecking dames might pass me o'er.Abd. 1826 D. Anderson Poems 95:
She in the glass did proudly geck, An' thought hersel' divine.Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 59:
Faht are ye geckin' an' glowrin' at, ye pairt brat?Ayr. 1913 J. Service Memorables 7:
They geckit and lauched at him.

(2) To turn or twist the head sideways or upwards, either coquettishly or in a vacant, foolish manner (‡Ayr.⁴ 1928; Abd.²⁷, Ags.¹⁸ 1954). Of the head itself: to turn. Hence, by extension, to be awry, off the straight (Cai. 1954). Also fig.Wgt. 1804 R. Couper Poems I. 242:
Round geks thy head; whare's a' thy fears; Your pride, whare is't ava.Ayr. 1821 Galt Ann. Parish xxxviii.:
She . . . went about gecking and simpering with an old fan in her hand.Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 60:
Did ye see foo yon twa geed on? She wiz eye geckin' up in's face an' lauchin'; an' he eye leuch back.Abd. 1916 per Mry.²:
“Dinna gyang gaikin aboot in my road,” esp. referring to anyone looking up and not seeing what he is doing.Bch. 1946 J. C. Milne Orra Loon 8:
I'll toss the reeslin' hay in coles that winna nod and geck.m.Sc. 1988 William Neill Making Tracks 40:
I kent thay wad begowk ye in the end
for aw yir gesterin aboot the toun
tae mak daft lauds an glaikit lassies geck.

Hence geck-neck(it), (having) a wry neck (Abd. 1825 Jam., geck-; Mearns Ib., geik-; ne.Sc. 1954).Abd. 1867 W. Anderson Rhymes 106:
My Uncle Tam cam' in Frae geck-neck't Janet's school.Cai. 1869 M. Maclennan Peasant Life 146:
I'll no be wastin' time wi' the geik-neckit wench, whan I ken a rosie lass o' ma ain 'gree.Abd. 1926 in Bnffsh. Jnl. (24 Aug.) 5:
Copland up frae Fintray cam' Wi' his geyk neck sae keen, man.

4. intr. To sport, dally, play the fool (Kcb.¹⁰ 1954, gaikie); “to be playful; applied to infants when cheerful” (Ags. 1808 Jam.). Ppl.adj. geckin', “lively; of a sportive disposition” (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 60; Bnff.², Dmf. 1946), gaikit, silly (Sh., Abd., Ags. 1949).Ayr. 1858 M. Porteous Real “Souter Johnny” 30:
When Cloots in person, daur'd appear, To geck wi' limmers late asteer, In midnicht lone.Kcb. c.1900 Vale of Urr Verses I. 59:
An' hoo the lasses jumped an' geckit.

Hence ¶geckery, buffoonery.Sc. 1910 D. G. Mitchell Sermons 73:
What is warst for hearin an' for thochts to bruik is linkit on to swagger an geckery.

II. n. ‡1. A fool (Sc. 1782 J. Sinclair Ob. Sc. Dial. 119; n.Ant. 1931 North. Whig (11 Dec.) 13). Dim. gaikie, id. (Slk. 1825 Jam. s.v. caikie), a frivolous person (Kcb.¹⁰ 1954). Obs. since 17th c. in liter. Eng. but surviving in dial.

2. †(1) A scornful or disdainful air (Ayr. 1811 W. Aiton Agric. Ayr. 692, 1900 E.D.D.); a toss (of the head).Kcb. 1815 J. Gerrond Poems 195:
But in your vain and wanton gecks Ye're peeled sae bare.Ayr. a.1843 J. Stirrat Poems (1869) 100:
What tho' thou wear'st a haughty air, Shall that e'er doom me to despair? No! a' thy gecks I scorn to care.Ags. 1853 W. Blair Chron. Aberbrothock vi.:
In thae days there wasna sae mony gecks, an' braws, an' pachty disdainfu' bodies.Ayr. 1879 R. Adamson Lays 108:
By geck o' heid, an' wag o' tail, That far behind the hurdies trail.

(2) A taunt, a mockery; (an object of) scorn. Only liter. Dim. geckie, a prank, trick (Ayr. 1920).Sc.(E) 1871 P. H. Waddell Psalms xxii. 6:
Bot 'am but a worm, an' nae man; a carl's sang, an' a geck o' the peopil.Dmf. 1878 R. W. Thom Poems 25:
Hamespun, a wee thing auld-farrant an' queer, An' likely tae tempt the geck an the jeer O' the gentle folk.Sc.(E) 1913 H. P. Cameron Imit. Christ i. xviii.:
The saunts an' freens o' Christ ser'd the Lord . . . i' persecutions an' i' muckle geck.

3. In phrs.: †(1) to get a geck, to be made to look foolish, to get an unpleasant surprise; †(2) to gie one the geck(s), to give someone the slip, “generally including the idea of exposing him to derision” (Sc. 1825 Jam., — geck), to make a fool of (someone).(1) Edb. 1829 G. Wilson Sc. Laverock 192:
The ill-determined fallows, Frae justice yet they'll get a geck, Strung high upon a gallows.(2) Sc. c.1825 Fair Janet in Child Ballads No. 64 B. xx.:
This day she has gien me the gecks, Yet she must ear the scorn.