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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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GUNK, n., v. Also †gonk, †gounk, †gank. [gʌŋk]

I. n. 1. A bitter disappointment (Uls. 1924 North. Whig (3 Jan.); Lnk., Ayr. 1955), gen. in such phrs, as to do a gunk (on somebody), to gie (somebody) the gunk, to cause (someone) chagrin or mortification, to disappoint, to jilt (someone) (Peb., ‡Ayr., Wgt., Uls. 1955).Abd. 1768 A. Ross Helenore 82:
What ganks I met with, now I sanna tell, But at the last upo' a burn I fell.Rnf. 1807 R. Tannahill Poems 168:
Altho' she was hecht tae Geordie Bowse, She's gi'en him the gunk, an' she's gaun wi' Willy.Rnf. 1841 R. Skimming Lays 27:
Wi' the Taylor she's fa'en foul, And fairly now the gounk she's gien ye.Ayr. 1901 "G. Douglas" Green Shutters xvi.:
Barbie boys were always coming back to "do a gunk" and "play a chaw" on young Gourlay by boasting their knowledge of the world, winking at each other the while to observe his grinning anger.

Hence gunkie, a dupe (Rxb. (Tvtd.) 1825 Jam., ‡1923 Watson W.-B.).

2. A dunce, blockhead (Ant. 1900 E.D.D.; Ayr. 1955).

II. v. To disappoint, to jilt, to mortify (Ayr.⁴ 1928; Arg.¹ 1930; Uls.³ 1955; (Uls. 1990s; Sh., Ayr. 2000s).). Gen. found in ppl.adj.Gall. 1824 MacTaggart Gallov. Encycl. 125:
He was singing fu' merry, How Black Douglass, the bluidy wight, Was gonked at Raeberry.Uls. 1880 Patterson Gl.:
"Greatly gunked," "sorely gunked," or "quarely gunked," are common ways in which this word is used.Ayr. 1901 "G. Douglas" Green Shutters xiii.:
Gourlay was cut to the quick. His face shewed how gunkit he was.Uls. 1935 Times (19 June) 15:
The group of "gunked" people . . . led by Sir Stafford who are mortified by the discovery that their advice has been ignored.

Hence ‡1. gunker, a mortifying disappointment (Arg.³ 1955); †2. gunkerie, duping, trickery (Rxb. 1825 Jam.).1. Arg.¹ 1930:
She got a wild gunker aathegither.