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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1956 (SND Vol. IV). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

GECK, v., n. Also gaik (Abd.) and obs. forms gek, geake, geik, gick; ¶geyk. [gɛk, gek]

I. v. †1. tr. To deceive, cheat, beguile. Also fig.Abd. 1768 A. Ross Helenore 79:
That ye was geck'd, to say, ye's hae na need, Ye's get a hitch unto your tocher gueed.Gsw. 1877 A. G. Murdoch Laird's Lykewake 166:
E'en let mischanter geck your heels, An' thraw your steyest step.

‡2. intr. With at: to mock at, scoff at, deride (Fif., Lth., Ayr. 1923–26 Wilson; Abd., Ags. 1954). Rarely tr. Also in n.Eng. dial.Sc. c.1714 Jacobite Minstr. (1829) 45:
Fient that she ride the aiver stiff, Sin' she has geck'd at me!Sc. 1725 Ramsay Gentle Shepherd i. i.:
She Bauldy loes, . . . But gecks at me, and says I smell of Tar.Edb. 1772 R. Fergusson Poems (1925) 16:
For he's a gowk they're sure to geck at, (A chiel that ne'er will be respekit.)Ayr. 1784 Burns O Tibbie i.:
Ye geck at me because I'm poor — But fient a hair care I!Sc. 1816 Scott Antiquary xxxiii.:
She gecked and scorned at my northern speech and habit.Fif. 1845 T. C. Latto Minister's Kail-yard 182:
She scorns an' she gecks me whene'er I gae by; O the Dominie's dochter is far aboon me!Bnff. 1869 W. Knight Auld Yule 68:
Ye'd thraw the neck O' him that wad your wife deroge, Or at her geck.Ags. 1920 A. Gray Songs 30:
What gars you geck at a' the pein That ance I tholed upon this place.wm.Sc. 1937 W. Hutcheson Chota Chants 7:
For she cast her e'e like she gecked at me, And had nae respect for my job.Fif. 1985 Tom Hubbard in Joy Hendry Chapman 40 30:
Nane o thae chiels is scunnert bi
The pouer o their ain quickenin bree
But oor faur-northren fikyness
Gecks at the thocht o sic a mess:
Oor betters wadnae think it meet
Tae tak oor native speirit neat!

Hence gecker, a mocker, scorner.Edb. 1916 T. W. Paterson Wyse-Sayin's xxi. 24:
The prood an' vauntie man — His richt name is Gecker at a' that's guid.

3. intr. (1) To toss the head in scorn (Ayr. 1923 Wilson Dial. Burns 165; Ags.¹⁸ 1954, rare); to lift the head proudly; “to look in a pert saucy manner, expressive of derision” (Bnff., Cld. 1880 Jam.), to stare rudely (Cai., Mry., Abd., Kcb. 1954). Ppl.adj. geckin', “pert and somewhat light-headed” (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 60, Bnff.² 1946). Also used tr.: to geck (up) the head.Sc. 1728 Ramsay Poems (S.T.S.) II. 44:
But gecking up her Head, quoth she, Poor Animal, I pity thee.Per. 1766 A. Nicol Poems 20:
When Jenny geakes, and scorns my tale.Ayr. 1786 Burns Dream viii.:
Adieu, my Liege! may Freedom geck Beneath your high protection.Kcb. 1789 D. Davidson Seasons 119:
Nell scorned Tam, an' geck'd her head; An' boder'd him wi' mocking.Slk. 1813 Hogg Queen's Wake 177:
He [lion] goulit at the keryl, and he geckit at hevin.Ags. 1822 A. Balfour Farmers' Three Daughters I. vi.:
She gicks her head at ae thing, an' sneers at anither.Dmf. 1823 J. Kennedy Poems 89:
At daimen times a coach and four, With gecking dames might pass me o'er.Abd. 1826 D. Anderson Poems 95:
She in the glass did proudly geck, An' thought hersel' divine.Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 59:
Faht are ye geckin' an' glowrin' at, ye pairt brat?Ayr. 1913 J. Service Memorables 7:
They geckit and lauched at him.

(2) To turn or twist the head sideways or upwards, either coquettishly or in a vacant, foolish manner (‡Ayr.⁴ 1928; Abd.²⁷, Ags.¹⁸ 1954). Of the head itself: to turn. Hence, by extension, to be awry, off the straight (Cai. 1954). Also fig.Wgt. 1804 R. Couper Poems I. 242:
Round geks thy head; whare's a' thy fears; Your pride, whare is't ava.Ayr. 1821 Galt Ann. Parish xxxviii.:
She . . . went about gecking and simpering with an old fan in her hand.Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 60:
Did ye see foo yon twa geed on? She wiz eye geckin' up in's face an' lauchin'; an' he eye leuch back.Abd. 1916 per Mry.²:
“Dinna gyang gaikin aboot in my road,” esp. referring to anyone looking up and not seeing what he is doing.Bch. 1946 J. C. Milne Orra Loon 8:
I'll toss the reeslin' hay in coles that winna nod and geck.m.Sc. 1988 William Neill Making Tracks 40:
I kent thay wad begowk ye in the end
for aw yir gesterin aboot the toun
tae mak daft lauds an glaikit lassies geck.

Hence geck-neck(it), (having) a wry neck (Abd. 1825 Jam., geck-; Mearns Ib., geik-; ne.Sc. 1954).Abd. 1867 W. Anderson Rhymes 106:
My Uncle Tam cam' in Frae geck-neck't Janet's school.Cai. 1869 M. Maclennan Peasant Life 146:
I'll no be wastin' time wi' the geik-neckit wench, whan I ken a rosie lass o' ma ain 'gree.Abd. 1926 in Bnffsh. Jnl. (24 Aug.) 5:
Copland up frae Fintray cam' Wi' his geyk neck sae keen, man.

4. intr. To sport, dally, play the fool (Kcb.¹⁰ 1954, gaikie); “to be playful; applied to infants when cheerful” (Ags. 1808 Jam.). Ppl.adj. geckin', “lively; of a sportive disposition” (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 60; Bnff.², Dmf. 1946), gaikit, silly (Sh., Abd., Ags. 1949).Ayr. 1858 M. Porteous Real “Souter Johnny” 30:
When Cloots in person, daur'd appear, To geck wi' limmers late asteer, In midnicht lone.Kcb. c.1900 Vale of Urr Verses I. 59:
An' hoo the lasses jumped an' geckit.

Hence ¶geckery, buffoonery.Sc. 1910 D. G. Mitchell Sermons 73:
What is warst for hearin an' for thochts to bruik is linkit on to swagger an geckery.

II. n. ‡1. A fool (Sc. 1782 J. Sinclair Ob. Sc. Dial. 119; n.Ant. 1931 North. Whig (11 Dec.) 13). Dim. gaikie, id. (Slk. 1825 Jam. s.v. caikie), a frivolous person (Kcb.¹⁰ 1954). Obs. since 17th c. in liter. Eng. but surviving in dial.

2. †(1) A scornful or disdainful air (Ayr. 1811 W. Aiton Agric. Ayr. 692, 1900 E.D.D.); a toss (of the head).Kcb. 1815 J. Gerrond Poems 195:
But in your vain and wanton gecks Ye're peeled sae bare.Ayr. a.1843 J. Stirrat Poems (1869) 100:
What tho' thou wear'st a haughty air, Shall that e'er doom me to despair? No! a' thy gecks I scorn to care.Ags. 1853 W. Blair Chron. Aberbrothock vi.:
In thae days there wasna sae mony gecks, an' braws, an' pachty disdainfu' bodies.Ayr. 1879 R. Adamson Lays 108:
By geck o' heid, an' wag o' tail, That far behind the hurdies trail.

(2) A taunt, a mockery; (an object of) scorn. Only liter. Dim. geckie, a prank, trick (Ayr. 1920).Sc.(E) 1871 P. H. Waddell Psalms xxii. 6:
Bot 'am but a worm, an' nae man; a carl's sang, an' a geck o' the peopil.Dmf. 1878 R. W. Thom Poems 25:
Hamespun, a wee thing auld-farrant an' queer, An' likely tae tempt the geck an the jeer O' the gentle folk.Sc.(E) 1913 H. P. Cameron Imit. Christ i. xviii.:
The saunts an' freens o' Christ ser'd the Lord . . . i' persecutions an' i' muckle geck.

3. In phrs.: †(1) to get a geck, to be made to look foolish, to get an unpleasant surprise; †(2) to gie one the geck(s), to give someone the slip, “generally including the idea of exposing him to derision” (Sc. 1825 Jam., — geck), to make a fool of (someone).(1) Edb. 1829 G. Wilson Sc. Laverock 192:
The ill-determined fallows, Frae justice yet they'll get a geck, Strung high upon a gallows.(2) Sc. c.1825 Fair Janet in Child Ballads No. 64 B. xx.:
This day she has gien me the gecks, Yet she must ear the scorn.