gawk

Definition from Wiktionary, a free dictionary

Contents 1 English 1.1 Pronunciation 1.2 Etymology 1 1.2.1 Noun 1.3 Etymology 2 1.3.1 Noun 1.4 Etymology 3 1.4.1 Verb 1.4.1.1 Translations 1.5 References

[edit] English

[edit] Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -ɔːk

[edit] Etymology 1

From Old English^[1], akin to Old Norse gaukr (cuckoo) (Danish gøg, Swedish gök) and Old High German gouh (German Gauch).

[edit] Noun

gawk (plural gawks)

1. a cuckoo

[edit] Etymology 2

A Middle-Appalachian Americanism, since late 1800s, possibly misconstruing French "gauche," and leading to use of adj gawky for a person or process that is uncoordinated or awkward.

[edit] Noun

gawk (plural gawks)

1. a simpleton, stupid or clumsy person.

[edit] Etymology 3

Perhaps from Old Norse gá (“‘to heed’”)^[2].

[edit] Verb

to gawk (third-person singular simple present gawks, present participle gawking, simple past and past participle gawked)

1. To stare or gape stupidly
2. To stare conspicuously.

[edit] Translations

[edit] References

• Notes:

1. ^ Gawk in Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
2. ^ “gawk” in the Online Etymology Dictionary, Douglas Harper, 2001