gaumless

gaumless

English

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation, General American) IPA^(key): /ˈɡɔːm.ləs/

Adjective

gaumless (not comparable)

1. (dialectal) Alternative spelling of gormless
   • 1835, Derwentwater, in The new British Novelist:

     "What could put secna gaumless notion as that into yer heed?" "A gaumless notion!" iterated Spour, putting on a look of sincerity offended.

   • 1872, John Hartley, Yorkshire ditties, series 1 (reprint), page 126:

     […] an' shoo held up a bonny little lad abaat two days old, 'at stared at him as gaumless as gaumless could be, […]

   • 1902, Arthur Smith, The Doin's O' Jim O' Doads: Sketches of Lancashire Life, page 60:

     Oh, he'll call; does ta think 'at he's as gaumless as thee?

Usage notes

Gaumless is the original spelling; gormless, which has become more common especially in non-rhotic dialects, uses r to indicate vowel length.