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Usenet Posted 23 years ago
Usage

Gawp or gawk

According to dictionary.com, gawp and gawk both came from galp. Which one appeared first?
  

Top answer

com, gawp and gawk both came from galp. [/nq] MW claims written appearances as gawk (n) 1757 gawk (v) 1785 gawp (v) 1855 MW traces only 'gawp' to 'galp', with gawk (n) from the older 'gawk' (left-handed) and gawk (v) from perhaps 'gaw' (to stare). ' Onions, similarly, traces 'gawk' (v) through 'gaw' (to stare).

— Usenet

  • com, gawp and gawk both came from galp.
  • [/nq] MW claims written appearances as gawk (n) 1757 gawk (v) 1785 gawp (v) 1855 MW traces only 'gawp' to 'galp', with gawk (n) from the older 'gawk' (left-handed) and gawk (v) from perhaps 'gaw' (to stare).
  • ' Onions, similarly, traces 'gawk' (v) through 'gaw' (to stare).
  • NSOED taces gawk (n1) perhaps from gawk (adj) and gallack, gawk (n2) from gawk (v), and gawk (v) perhaps from gaw (v) or gawk (n1).
  • NSOED also considers gawp/gaup/gorp not proven; perhaps from gape (v) as is galp (v).
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2 Answers
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[nq:1]According to dictionary.com, gawp and gawk both came from galp. Which one appeared first?[/nq]
MW claims written appearances as
gawk (n) 1757
gawk (v) 1785
gawp (v) 1855
MW traces only 'gawp' to 'galp', with gawk (n) from the older 'gawk' (left-handed) and gawk (v) from perhaps 'gaw' (to stare).

Skeats also traces 'gawk' (adj = gawky) from gawk-handed, gaulick-ha
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[nq:1]AHD4 agrees with these with gawp from galp but gawk (n) from gaw, gawen. What source does dictionary.com cite to account for its disagreement with Oxford's best (Skeats, Onions, NSOED), Merriam-Webster, and American Heritage?[/nq]
They agree with AHD4, so it's my own confusion I
looked up gawp, which they defined as 'To gawk '
so I jumped to the conclusion that they had the same
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