Well, I was fooled by that weird-looking combination of letters ~ strange how it looks more ungainly than it sounds, isn't it? But I have been interested by some of the other cuckoo words from the same nest...
gowk, n
Orig. Sc. and north. dial.
[a. ON. gaukr = OE. ¼éac (see yeke), OHG. gouh (MHG. gouch, G. gauch):—OTeut. *gauko-z.]
1. The cuckoo.
2. A fool: a half-witted person. [So G. gauch.]
3. Phrases. to give the gowk to: to befool. to hunt the gowk: to go on a fool's errand.
4. attrib. and Comb. esp. with gen. gowk's, as gowk's-errand = fool's-errand (see errand 2c); gowk('s)-meat, gowk-oats (see quots.); gowk's-spittle = cuckoo-spit2; gowk's-storm, †(a) a storm of short duration; (b) a spring gale which occurs at the time of the cuckoo's arrival. Also gowk-like a., foolish.
