▪ I. gaw, n.1 Sc.
(gɔː)
[Of uncertain origin: perh. identical with gaw Sc. form of gall n.2; but the sense is not easy to account for on this supposition.]
(See quots. 1793 and 1812.) Also attrib. in gaw-cut (whence gaw-cutting), -fur (= furrow): see quots.
| 1793 Sir J. Sinclair Stat. Acc. Scotl. IX. 352 note, Gaw is that slit or opening made by a plough or spade in the side of a pond, loch, or stagnated water, by which it is drained off. 1805 R. Somerville Agr. Surv. E. Loth. 172 As soon as a field is sown and harrowed, the gaw-furs, as they are provincially called, are neatly and perfectly cleaned with the spade and shovel. 1812 J. Wilson Agric. Renfrewsh. 130 Open drains, called sloped gaws. 1844 H. Stephens Bk. of Farm I. §779 In every variety of soil ploughed..for winter, care should be taken to have plenty of channels or gaws or grips, as they are usually termed, so as the surface water may find them at every point by which to escape..The precaution of gaw-cutting should never be neglected. Ibid. §854 The gaw-cuts, small channels cut with the spade, are carefully made through every natural hollow of the ground. 1888 Sheffield Gloss., Gaw cut. |
▪ II. gaw, n.2 rare—1.
(gɔː)
? Short for gewgaw.
| 1822 T. Mitchell Aristoph., Wasps ii. ii, Like this, with his hair Curling tier above tier, With his gauds and his gaws Do despite to the laws. |
▪ III. † gaw, v. Obs.
Forms: 3 gawen, gowen, 5 gou, 6 gawe.
[cf. ON. gá to heed.]
intr. To gape, stare; to look intently.
| c 1200 Ormin 12233 And doþ itt [sc. hoarded money] te nan oþerr god Butan þatt tatt tu gowesst Þæronne þa þu gast tærto. c 1300 Seyn Julian 125 Ne make þou namo men gawen on me! c 1420 Anturs of Arth. x. (Irel. MS.) The bryddus in the boes, That of [other texts on] the gost gous [Thornton MS. gewes, riming with bewes, clewes; Douce MS. glowes] Thay scryken. 1566 Drant Horace's Sat. i. i. A j b, Who gapes, who gawes, who pores, who pries, who proggs his mate but he? 1808–25 Jamieson s.v., To gawe, to go about staring in a stupid manner. Teviotd. |
▪ IV. gaw
Sc. var. gall n.1, n.2, v.1