gowk
1 of 2noun
ˈgəu̇k,
ˈgäk,
ˈgōk
plural -s
1
dialectal, British : cuckoo
2
dialectal, British : simpleton, fool, gawk
sat there all evening like a great gowk
Flora Thompson
Flora Thompsongowk
2 of 2intransitive verb
ˈgəu̇k
-ed/-ing/-s
chiefly Scottish
: to gaze or stare vacantly
Word History
Etymology
Noun
Middle English goke, gowke from Old Norse gaukr cuckoo; akin to Old English gēac cuckoo, Old High German gouh
Intransitive verb
Middle English (Scots dialect) gowken, perhaps from gowk, noun