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.
Quotation dates: 1864-1881, 1936
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†GOWKOO, n., v. Also gowk-coo; gukkow (Sc. 1808 Jam.), gouckoo (n.Sc. Ib.), guckoo.
I. n. The cuckoo; a sound similar to that made by a cuckoo.Abd. 1881 W. Paul Past & Present 127:
The Gowk-coo's a bonny bird, He sings when he flies.Abd. 1881 W. Paul Past & Present (2nd ed.) 150:
An' my henny cried jim-a-jick, jim-a-jick An' my cockie cried leely gowkoo.Abd. 1936 T. H. White England have my Bones 24:
Macdonald puzzled me by saying that the “Guckoo” was late.
Comb.: gowkoo-clock, = Eng. cuckoo-clock.Fif. 1864 W. D. Latto T. Bodkin xxix.:
Eleven o'clock warniced on the gowkoo-knock, wi' a soond like the commotion in a pepper mill.Ags. 1880 J. E. Watt Poet. Sk. 50:
The auld gowkoo-clock wad gie warnin' o' ten.
¶II. v. To sound like the cuckoo.Ags. 1880 J. E. Watt Poet. Sk. 100:
The clock had gowkoo'd oot an oor That tauld her plainly Tam was fuddled.
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"Gowkoo n., v.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 16 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/gowkoo>
