gawp

or gaup

[ gawp ]

/ gɔp /

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verb (used without object) Chiefly Northern U.S.

to stare with the mouth open in wonder or astonishment; gape: Crowds stood gawping at the disabled ship.

QUIZ

THINGAMABOB OR THINGUMMY: CAN YOU DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE US AND UK TERMS IN THIS QUIZ?

Do you know the difference between everyday US and UK terminology? Test yourself with this quiz on words that differ across the Atlantic.

Question 1 of 7

In the UK, COTTON CANDY is more commonly known as…

candystring

candyfloss

candypuff

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of gawp

1720–30; British dial., continuing obsolete galp,Middle English galpen, perhaps blend of Middle Dutch galpen to yawn and Middle English gapen to gape

Words nearby gawp

gaw, Gawain, Gawain, Sir, gawk, gawky, gawp, Gawra, gawsy, gay, Gaya, gayal

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use gawp in a sentence

He shoves his chair back into the corner and continues186 to gawp; so I just has to let on that he ain't there at all.
Shorty McCabe on the Job|Sewell Ford
I tried not to gawp at what must have been a couple million bucks' worth of condo.
Little Brother|Cory Doctorow
It would make you mighty glad you didn't marry that young gawp at home.
In a Little Town|Rupert Hughes
Walkin' over to Skeet I taps him on the shoulder, and then it's his turn to gawp at my costume.
Torchy, Private Sec.|Sewell Ford

All I'm sure of is that we both sort of slowed up and did the gawp act.
Torchy and Vee|Sewell Ford

British Dictionary definitions for gawp

gawp

gaup

/ (ɡɔːp) /

verb

(intr often foll by at) British slang to stare stupidly; gape

Derived forms of gawp

gawper, noun

Word Origin for gawp

C14 galpen; probably related to Old English gielpan to boast, yelp . Compare Dutch galpen to yelp

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012