gawk
UK: ɡɔːk | US: ɡɔːk
vi. to stare openly and stupidly
n. an awkward or foolish person
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The word "gawk" likely originated in the late 18th century as an imitation of clumsy or foolish behavior, possibly influenced by dialectal variants like "gaw" (to stare) or "gawk" (a cuckoo bird, symbolizing foolishness). Its onomatopoeic quality evokes the awkwardness of gaping or gawking. Though sometimes linked to Old Norse "gá" (to heed), its exact roots remain uncertain, and it is treated as a standalone expressive term.
Tourists often gawk at the towering skyscrapers in New York.
Don’t just gawk—help me carry these boxes!
The rude boy was called a gawk for his clumsy manners.
She felt embarrassed when strangers gawked at her unusual outfit.
The audience gawked in disbelief as the magician vanished.