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Gawk vs Gowk - What's the difference?

gawk | gowk |

As nouns the difference between gawk and gowk

is that gawk is a cuckoo or gawk can be a simpleton, stupid or clumsy person while gowk is (northern england|scotland) a cuckoo.

As verbs the difference between gawk and gowk

is that gawk is to stare or gape stupidly while gowk is to make foolish; to stupefy.

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.

    • References

    Appalachian English

    gowk

    English

    Noun

    (s)
  • (Northern England, Scotland) A cuckoo.
  • A fool.
  • * 1816 , , Old Mortality , ch. 8:
    • "Ill-fard, crazy, crack-brained gowk , that she is!" exclaimed the housekeeper.
  • * 1976 , , Falstaff :
    • God has sent me gowks for secretaries.

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To make foolish; to stupefy.
    • (Ben Jonson)