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Gowk vs Gook - What's the difference?

gowk | gook |

As nouns the difference between gowk and gook

is that gowk is (northern england|scotland) a cuckoo while gook is (slang|vulgar|pejorative|offensive|ethnic slur) a person from the far east, oceania or southeast asia, in particular a vietnamese, filipino, chinese, korean person or gook can be (informal) grime or mud.

As a verb gowk

is to make foolish; to stupefy.

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)

    gook

    English

    Etymology 1

    Use traced to U.S. Marines in Philippines in early 20th century. Dictionary.com]Pearson, Kim, "[http://kpearson.faculty.tcnj.edu/Dictionary/gook.htm Gook". Earliest recorded example is dated 1920.Seligman, Herbert J., " The Conquest of Haiti", The Nation, July 10, 1920. * Folk etymology suggests that during the Korean War, young Korean children would point at U.S. soldiers and shout ", guk) itself simply means "country". This explanation ignores the fact that there are many examples of the word's use that pre-date the Korean War.

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (slang, vulgar, pejorative, offensive, ethnic slur) A person from the Far East, Oceania or Southeast Asia, in particular a Vietnamese, Filipino, Chinese, Korean person.
  • Usage notes
    * In the US, gook refers particularly to a Vietnamese person in the context of the Vietnam War, and particularly to the Viet Cong. It is generally considered highly offensive, on a par with nigger.

    Etymology 2

    Possible blend of goop and gunk.

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (informal) Grime or mud.
  • * {{quote-book, 1983, Len O'Connor, A Reporter in Sweet Chicago, isbn=0809276488 citation
  • , passage="Roost No More" was a yellow gook that Joe's people would spread around, for a fee, on the ledges of houses and commercial buildings plagued by pigeons.}}
    Derived terms
    * gooky * gook up

    See also

    * gook wagon