Citations:gorbuson

English citations of gorbuson, gauvison, gawvison, and govison

Noun: "stupid person"

				1761	1813 1830 1836 1870 1878 1882
ME «	15th c.	16th c.	17th c.	18th c.	19th c.	20th c.	21st c.

• 1761, Joseph Reed, “The Register-Office”, in A Collection of the Most Esteemed Farces, volume 3, published 1792, page 328:

  Why, you're a gawvison for not knowing what it is—I thought ye Londoners ha knawn every thing—a gawvison's a ninny hammer—Now, do you, think, Sur, at I look ought like a gawvison?

• 1813, Barbara Hofland, Patience and Perseverance, volume 3, page 5:

  Dixon advanced, and made two or three unlucky attempts at a speech; which his wife observing, she edged forwards, hoping madam would excuse him for being such a gawvison, for she was sure he meant no harm.

• 1830, Edward Duros, Derwentwater, page 86:

  "Kae! ye gawvison!" exclaimed the opposite party, evidently tickled with the implied compliment.

• 1836, Charles Hooton, The Adventures of Bilberry Thurland, volume 2, page 98:

  When I got into the kitchen, my mother looks at me; 'Sam,' says she, 'what have you done with your waistcoat?' 'Why, noat,' says I, and I looked down at it; and, like a great gorbuson as I was, I had forgot to put it on, and there if I hadn't bin to church without my waistcoat.

• 1870 March, “The Chronicles of Heatherthorp”, in Baily's Magazine of Sports and Pastimes, volume 18, number 121, page 70:

  'And why sud ye, Mr. Arthur? 'specially aboot such a gauvison as awd Barjona. He's like a coo, has twea sides to his tung, a rough un and a smooth un; but neebody minds him, sir, nae matter which side he licks 'em with.'

• 1878 January, “Local Notes and Queries”, in The Yorkshire Magazine, volume 2, number 16, page 192:

  Gauvison.—It is customary amongst the country people of Yorkshire, when wishing to designate a person as awkward and foolish to call him "a gurt Gauvison!" Whence comes the word "Gauvison?" Is it, as I have heard it asserted, the name of an old Yorkshire highwayman; and if so why should his name be used with such a significance?

• 1882, William Marshall, “Pursuit”, in Strange Chapman, volume 1, page 153:

  "Theer, govison, (blockhead) tak that," and Jack flings maliciously at him the wisp of rushes wherewith he has rubbed down his own bemudded person.