As nouns the difference between gawk and dawk
is that gawk is a cuckoo or gawk can be a simpleton, stupid or clumsy person while dawk is a hollow or crack in timber.
As verbs the difference between gawk and dawk
is that gawk is to stare or gape stupidly while dawk is to drive a sharp instrument into; incise with a jerk; puncture.
gawk
English
Etymology 1
From a variant of gowk, from (etyl) gowke, from (etyl) . More at (l).
Noun
(
en noun)
a cuckoo
- (Johnson)
a fool
- (Carlyle)
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.
Noun
(
en noun)
a simpleton, stupid or clumsy person.
Etymology 3
Perhaps from (etyl) .
Verb
(
en verb)
To stare or gape stupidly
To stare conspicuously.
dawk
English
Verb
(
en verb)
To drive a sharp instrument into; incise with a jerk; puncture.
To cut or mark with an incision; gash.
- (Moxon)
To dig up weeds.
