Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1956 (SND Vol. IV). Includes material from the 1976 and 2005 supplements.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

GOUROCK, n. The sea-port on the south bank of the Clyde in Renfrewshire (formerly an important fishing village), in comb. (1) †Gourock ham, a salt herring (Sc. 1860 J. C. Hotten Dict. Slang); (2) Gourock marmalade, sweets flavoured with carraway and served at tea (Rnf. a.1850 Crawfurd MSS. (N.L.S.) G. 47). Used in a simile of anything misshapen or lopsided: “it's a' tae yae side like Gourock” (m.Lth.¹ 1955).Gsw. 1988 Michael Munro The Patter Another Blast 28:
Gourock ... Away to the one side like Gourock means lop-sided, unbalanced, skew-whiff: 'Come here till I fix your hat; it's away to one side like Gourock.' This seemingly derives from the fact that Gourock is built mainly on one side of a hill. Sc. 2000 Sun 17 Apr :
... on the penalty spot. Tries to turn, defender blocks. Back to McGarry. Blocked again. Bodies all over the shop. Then - don't ask me how - it's at Yards' feet and big Ian McCaldon's away to one side like Gourock and Yards pokes it and it's in. Sc. 2002 Daily Record 27 Apr 15:
We could also ask why every quiz show host called Anne has got a mouth that's all to one side like Gourock? Sc. 2003 Edinburgh Evening News 2 Jan 4:
"Fortunately, doing that it is possible to drug the actress to the hilt, wheel her in and - even though I couldn't stand up straight, I was away to one side like Gourock - prop her against a bed until they yell 'Cut!'. ... "