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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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

‡GAWSIE, adj. Also gaws(e)y, gawcie, -(e)y, gaucie, -(e)y, gaus(e)y, gaus(s)ie, ¶gauzie, ¶gaushy. Also in n.Eng. dial. [′gǫ:se]

1. (1) Of persons: plump, fresh-complexioned and jovial-looking (Sc. 1720 Ramsay Poems (S.T.S.) I. 150); handsome, of stately or imposing appearance, portly (Kcb.⁴ 1900; Per. 1915 Wilson L. Strathearn 249; Ayr. 1923 Wilson Dial. Burns 165; Sh., Abd., Ags., Slg., Fif., Clc. 1954), “well-dressed and well-fed” (Gall. 1824 MacTaggart Gallov. Encycl. 219). Also adv.Sc. 1724 Ramsay T.T.Misc. 145:
Nelly's gawsy, saft, and gay, Fresh as the lucken flowers in May.Abd. 1755 R. Forbes Jnl. from London 28:
A leiftenant o' a ship, a gaucy, swack young follow.Rnf. 1790 A. Wilson Poet. Works 227:
Weel lo'ed by a', she gaed fu' braw, Clean, snod, an' wondrous gawsey.Sc. 1818 Scott H. Midlothian xvi.:
Gentle Geordie Robertson put my ilka day's claise on his ain bonnie sell yestreen . . . and gawsie and grand he lookit.Ayr. 1830 Galt Lawrie Todd i. ii.:
A decent, gausy, conversible carlin.Mry. 1852 A. Christie Mountain Strains 100:
Some gausie wives that gaed to see't Declar'd it was an elfan geet.wm.Sc. 1868 Laird of Logan 57–58:
The gaucy, good-humoured, rattle-tongued landlady, with her rosy haffets and large laughing brown eyes.Per. 1878 R. Ford Hame-spun Lays 85:
Auchteen stane, an' sax feet ane — I trow she is a gaucy leddy.Kcb. 1894 Crockett Raiders xlvi.:
Brownie met him as he cam' steppin' sae gawsy across the dry stanes at Sandy's Ford.Rxb. 1933 Kelso Chron. (3 Nov.) 5:
For whan the kirk bell rang at twal' its dunnerin', fell alairm Fu' gaucie he wad tak' the road wi' Bridget on his airm.

Hence gaucilie, adv., handsomely, in a stately fashion.m.Lth. 1882 Mod. Sc. Poets IV. 54:
Bauldly he cam' and gaucilie.

(2) Of animals: handsome, well-conditioned; used also substantively of a cow (Sc. 1829 G. Robertson Recollections 175).Sc. 1819 Scott Bride of Lamm. xii.:
She was the bonniest lass in our parochine and the neest till't. But gawsie cow, goodly calf.Per. 1904 R. Ford Hum. Sc. Stories (Series 2) 107:
The gausie auld beast shot her nose ower the trevise.Dmf. 1939 in Border Mag. (Aug.) 116:
And, oh! to hear his canty sang, Or gaucy muircock crawin'.

(3) Of the appearance or features:Edb. 1772 R. Fergusson Poems (1925) 17:
Whan pacing wi' a gawsy air In gude Braid Claith.Ayr. 1821 Galt Ayrsh. Legatees x.:
He was in fact what Mrs Glibbans denominated “a man of a gausy external.”Sc. 1831 Wilson Noctes Amb. (1856) III. 134:
In three minutes we sall see the gaucy face o' Awmrose wi' the eisters.Kcd. 1867 Stonehaven Jnl. (21 Nov.) 3:
I likit in my life the braw trig lassie, Her couthy welcome, an' her gaucy smile.Dmf. 1912 J. L. Waugh Robbie Doo i.:
She was weel-faured beyond a doot, wi' a gaucie face, a clean rosy skin and a tremendous wealth o' bonnie glossy broon hair.

Hence gauciness, n., stateliness, imposing appearance, “arising from size” (Sc. 1825 Jam.).Dmb. 1894 D. MacLeod Past Worthies 168:
Gaucy! did ye say? ca' him gaucy? Guid feth man, the maist feck o' a' the gauciness ye saw was put into the pu'pit by me afore the bit buddy saw the pu'pit stairs!

2. Of things: large, ample, roomy; handsome, stately, imposing-looking, showy; jolly, pleasant.Edb. 1773 R. Fergusson Poems (1925) 56:
St Andrews town may look right gawsy, Nae grass will grow upon her cawsey.Ayr. 1786 Burns Twa Dogs 35–6:
His gawsie tail, wi' upward curl, Hung owre his hurdies wi' a swirl.Lth. 1813 G. Bruce Poems 65:
Twa gaucie roun's o' saut beef guid.Sc. 1818 Scott H. Midlothian xxviii.:
A dribble in comparison of our gawsie Scots pint, and hardly half ane mutchkin.Fif. 1827 W. Tennant Papistry Storm'd 139:
The Paip's ain livery, gawcy-gay.Sc. 1861 C. Rogers Sc. Character 10:
Mr Erskine did not use the ordinary instrument, but the violoncello — “the big gaucy fiddle!”Ags. 1865 Arbroath Guide (18 March) 3:
When I put on my crinoline, Wi' gausie ribbands lang an' fine.Kcb. 1894 Crockett Raiders xliv.:
His beaver bonnet and the gawsy feather intil't.Ayr. 1900 “G. Douglas” Green Shutters iii.:
It was a substantial two-story dwelling, planted firm and gawcey on a little natural terrace.em.Sc. 1920 J. Black Airtin' Hame 79:
Wi' bee-skeps, and wi' gaucy stacks O' peats frae Woodmuir moss.