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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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

GAWK, n., v. Also †gauk, gaak and (commonly) derivs. gawkie, -y, †gaukie, -y. [′gǫ:k(e), ′gɑ:k(e)]

I. n. An awkward, clumsy person, a booby, fool (Sc. 1755 Johnson Dict.; Uls. 1880 Patterson Gl.; Per. 1915 Wilson L. Strathearn 248, gauk; Ayr. 1923 Wilson Dial. Burns 165, gawkie; Mry., Abd., Ags., Slg., Fif., Edb., wm.Sc. rare, Wgt., Rxb., Uls. 1954). Also in Eng. dial.Sc. 1726 Ramsay T.T.Misc. (1876) I. 162:
In love you're but a gawky.Sc. 1757 Smollett Reprisal (1777) i. ii.:
He's a gowk, and a gauky, to ettle at diverting the poor lassy with the puppet-shew of her ain misfortune.Sc. 1763 Boswell London Jnl. (1950) 258:
For I really find her to be such a gawky, and so much of a low censorious Scots lass that I am . . . in a discontent with her.Ayr. 1787 Burns Lament W. Creech iv.:
Now gawkies, tawpies, gowks, and fools Frae colleges and boarding-schools May sprout like simmer puddock-stools.Dmf. 1850 J. W. Carlyle Letters (Froude 1883) II. 114:
That barenecked hooing gawk Stewart.Ags. 1881 Arbroath Guide (30 July) 4:
While landward gawkie rubs his chin, An' feels his proudest.e.Lth. 1885 J. Lumsden Rhymes & Sk. 13:
I answer'd, sadly, to mysel' Ye are the silliest gawkies.Kcb. 1896 Crockett Cleg Kelly l.:
I'm nae country gawk.Abd. 1926 L. Coutts Lyrics 20:
They ca im waister, rake an gawk, Bit wyte ye, an y'ill see!Kcd. 1933 “L. G. Gibbon” Cloud Howe ii. 87:
Tooje was her eldest, fairly a gawk.

II. v. 1. To play the fool; esp. of young women, to behave foolishly or lightly with men (w.Sc. 1825 Jam., gauk; Rxb. Ib., gaukie, 1923 Watson W.-B., ‡gawk, †gaukie; Cai. 1900 E.D.D.; ‡Ayr.⁴ 1928; Ags. 1954); to fool around, idle, wander aimlessly about (Ags.¹⁸, Kcb.¹⁰ 1954). Cf. Gowk, v.¹, 2.Bnff. 1895 “N. Roy” Horseman's Word xxxix.:
Stanes were like freens til him . . . niver gawkin' about or gaun astray when weel set in their neuks.s.Sc. 1897 E. Hamilton Outlaws xvi.:
It isna mensefu' for a well brought up lass to get daffing and gaukieing wi' sic a foul-lived limb as Chris Armstrong.Uls. c.1920 J. Logan Uls. in X-rays (2nd ed.) vii.:
Yin Seterday . . . I tuk a dandther intil the toon, an' was gawkien up an' doon, when wha daes I meet but . . . Jamie.

2. To stare idly or vacantly, usually open-mouthed (Ayr.⁹, Kcb. 1954). Also in Eng. dial. Cf. Gowk, v.²Sh. 1879 Shetland Times (10 May):
What ir ye staandin' gaakin' at; can ye no set you doon?Sc. 1892 Stevenson Wrecker xv.:
Unmindful of the gawking creatures that struggled and died among their feet.Dmb. 1931 A. J. Cronin Hatter's Castle ii. i.:
As she paused at the unusual praise, he bellowed at her, What are ye gawkin' at?Kcd. 1934 “L. G. Gibbon” Grey Granite i. 57:
Cushnie gawked above his tight collar.Gsw. 1964 George Friel The Boy who Wanted Peace (1985) 229:
The stranger gawked, his throat working as if he was going to be sick on the spot. "You stupid bastard!" he moaned, and dived at the fire trying to save something ...