noun
General Slang
gowk
· noun · geordie
A fool — or, originally, a cuckoo.
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Definitions
1
A fool, a simpleton, someone gormless. Old word, still understood in Geordie and Scots country.
“Stood there like a gowk while the bus drove off.”
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2
Originally a cuckoo — the bird. This sense is largely archaic now but it's where the insult comes from.
“Heard the first gowk of the year up the dale.”
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gowk In A Sentence
Stood there like a gowk while the bus drove off.
Heard the first gowk of the year up the dale.
Origin & Usage
Old Norse 'gaukr' — cuckoo. The bird's reputation for being daft got transferred to people. 'April gowk' = April fool in old northern usage.
People Also Ask
What does gowk mean?
A gowk is a fool — the word originally meant a cuckoo.
How do you use gowk in a sentence?
"Ye daft gowk, what did ye do that for?"
Where does gowk come from?
It originally meant a cuckoo, and came to describe a foolish or simple person.
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