gawming
English
Adjective
gawming
- (chiefly Britain, dialectal, Rutland, Leicestershire, but also US) Alternative form of gorming
- 1893, Mrs. O. W. Scott, The Gilead Guards: A Story of War-times in a New England Town:
- A sniff of strong ammonia could not have revived Martha's drooping spirits more effectually. “Miss him!” she repeated, “don't worry about my missin' that gawming creature. I shall be able to keep things decently clean after he's out o' the way.”
- 1916, Daniel Leavens Cady, Adam Et Ux, in Maize and Milkweed: Fifty-two Stalks:
- Yet Nancy's gawming son
- Set free more sad and hopeless men
- Than any king has done;
- (Can we date this quote?) The Oddville Press Issue 3, page 39:
- "You're a great boy", said Anita to her gawming brother.
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References
References
- Lowsley, A glossary of Berkshire words and phrases, section on Rutland words (1888): GAWMING, adj. lanky and ragged. "You won't like the looks of them flowers in that border, they looks so gauming"
- Francis Grose, A provincial glossary: with a collection of local proverbs (1811): Gawming, aukward, lubberly.
- Arthur Benoni Evans, Sebastian Evans, Leicestershire Words, Phrases, and Proverbs, volume 17 (1881), page 158: Gawm, v. a., i. q. Gaum, q. v.
Gawming, adj., i. q. Gawky, q. v.
Verb
gawming
- present participle of gawm