gawvison

English

Noun

gawvison (plural gawvisons)

1. (archaic, Northern England) Alternative spelling of gorbuson
   • 1761, Joseph Reed, “The Register-Office”, in A Collection of the Most Esteemed Farces, volume 3, published 1792, page 328:

     Why, you're a gawvison for not knowing what it is—I thought ye Londoners ha knawn every thing—a gawvison's a ninny hammer—Now, do you, think, Sur, at I look ought like a gawvison?

   • 1813, Barbara Hofland, Patience and Perseverance, volume 3, page 5:

     Dixon advanced, and made two or three unlucky attempts at a speech; which his wife observing, she edged forwards, hoping madam would excuse him for being such a gawvison, for she was sure he meant no harm.

   • 1830, Edward Duros, Derwentwater, page 86:

     "Kae! ye gawvison!" exclaimed the opposite party, evidently tickled with the implied compliment.

   • For more quotations using this term, see Citations:gorbuson.

References

• Wright, Joseph (1900) The English Dialect Dictionary‎^[1], volume 2, Oxford: Oxford University Press, page 581