> geek > > geek . Var. geck sb.1 U.S. slang. (See quots. 1954 and 1961). > > * 1876: see geck sb.1. > > * 1916 Wells Fargo Messenger Oct. 29/2 A new Wells agent struck > our town the other week, and say-you never saw a more > enthusiastic geek! > > * 1954 Webster Add., Geek, a carnival `wild man' whose act > usually includes biting the head off a live chicken or snake. > > * 1961 Times Lit. Suppl. 27 Jan. 62/2 He picks up waitress, a > simple girl, and enslaves a `geek', a dumb sideshow stooge > whose daily routine consists of being exhibited in a pit which > he has to dig for himself. > geck > > geck gek, sb.1 Obs. exc. dial. Forms: 6 geke, 7 gecke, 6, 9 geck > (geek). app. a. LG. geck, = MDutch gec(k, ghec(k, Dutch gek adj. and > sb.; related (either as source or derivative) to gecken geck v. From > LG. the word passed into the HG. dialects, MHG. geck(e, G. geck, and > into Scand., Da. gjæk, Sw. gäck, Norw. gjekk, ? Icel. gikkr. A fool, > simpleton; one who is befooled or derided, a dupe. > > * 1515 Barclay Egloges i. (1570) A iij b, He is a foole, a sotte, > and a geke also Which choseth..the worst [way] and most of > ieoperdie. > > * 1601 Shaks. Twel. N. v. i. 351 Why haue you suffer'd me to be > imprison'd..And made the most notorious gecke and gull That ere > inuention plaid on? > > * 1611 Shaks. Cymb. v. iv. 67 To become the geeke [sic] and > scorne o' th' others vilany. > > * 1859 Geo. Eliot A. Bede 83 If she's tackled to a geck as > everybody's laughing at. > > * 1876 Whitby Gloss., Gawk, Geek, Gowk or Gowky, a fool; a person > uncultivated; a dupe. > > geck > > geck gek, sb.2 Chiefly Sc. = Dutch and G. geck vbl. sb. > corresponding to gecken (see geck v.) as in G. gecken machen to play > tricks; in geck sagen, Dutch in gheck segghen (Kilian), to say in > jest. A gesture of derision; an expression of scorn or contempt. > > * 1500-20 Dunbar Poems xxvi. 28 Than all the feyndis lewche, and > maid gekkis. > > * 1576 Tyde tarryeth no Man in Collier E.E. Pop. Lit. (1863-4) 29 > And though I have attire both costly and gay, Yet unlesse it be > new, I shall have but a geck. > > * 1597 Montgomerie Cherrie & Slae 1085 `Gudeman, gramercy for > 3our geck' Quod Hope, and lawly louts. > > b. > > to get a geck > > to get a geck: to be deceived or tricked. > > to give one the geck > > to give one the geck: to mock, trick, deceive one. > > * 1568 Satir. Poems Reform. xlvii. 84 Now better war lat bee Nor > to begin to gett 3our selffis ane geck. > > * 1583 Leg. Bp. St. Androis 898 xlv, The first merchant he cleane > forsuike, Gave him the geck, and lat him gea. > > * 1603 Philotus lxxviii, The Carle that hecht sa weill to treit > 3ow, I think sall get ane geck. > > * ? 16.. Fair Janet & Sweet Will; xx. in Child Ballads iii. lxiv. > (1885) 105/2 This day she has gien me the gecks, Yet she must > bear the scorn. > > * 1808-25 Jamieson, s.v., To gie one the geck, to give him the > slip; generally including the idea of exposing him to derision. > > geck > > geck gek, v. Sc. and north. dial. app. a. LG. gecken = MDutch > ghecken, DU. gekken, G. gecken: see geck sb.1, and cf. the echoic > Ger. gecken to croak, cackle. Also in Scand. as Da. gjække, Sw. > gäcka. > > 1. trans. To mock, deceive, cheat. > > * 1583 Leg. Bp. St. Androis 867 in Satir. Poems Reform. xlv, Hame > to the prowest it was directit; But ye shall heir whow he was > geckit. > > 2. intr. > > to geck at > > to geck at: to scoff at, to use mocking language or gestures > towards. > > * 1603 Philotus ciii, I trow that all the warld euin Sall at 3our > guckrie geck. > > * 1725 Ramsay Gentle Sheph. i. i, She Bauldy looes..But gecks at > me, and says I smell of tar. > > * 1775 Burns `Tibbie I hae seen' i, Ye geck at me because I'm > poor. > > * 1837 R. Nicoll Poems (1843) 102 He'll geck e'en at the Minister > An' joke wi' laird an' lady. > > * 1876 Whitby Gloss., Geck, to sneer or deride. > > 3. To toss the head, as in scorn; to look proudly. Also trans. > > to geck up the head > > to geck up the head. Possibly a distinct word. > > * 1724 Ramsay Evergreen (1761) II. 15 Scho gecks as gif I meind > her Ill. > > * 1728 Ramsay Fables, Caterpillar & Ant 9 The saucy Ant..gecking > up her head, quoth she `Poor animal! I pity thee'. > > * 1786 Burns Dream viii, Adieu, my liege! may freedom geck > Beneath your high protection. > > * 1811 Willan in Archæol; XVII. 147 Geck, to toss the head.