Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. (orig. US, also gouk) a dull, stupid, foolish person; also attrib.

[1828		‘Humours of Glasgow Fair’ in Nimmo Songs and Ballads of Clydesdale (1882) 196: O woman! but ye’re a Gomeral [...] D’ye na ken, ye daft gowk, that’s a mongrel].
1843		R.S. Surtees Handley Cross (1854) 465: Pigg was very angry, swore that his master was an ard gouk, and had sold the best horse in the stable.
1911		T.A. Dorgan in Zwilling TAD Lex. (1993) 41: Heretofore Packey had the softest time of his life trimming the Gotham gooks.
1923		Wodehouse Leave it to Psmith (1993) 506: The Beach gook [...] has got something wrong with the lining of his stomach.
1935		A.J. Pollock Und. Speaks 47/1: Gook, a boob; easy mark; hick.
1949		Wodehouse Mating Season 47: The poor old gook was spitting blood.
1951		Kerouac letter 8 Jan. in Charters I (1995) 277: She probably only wore a look which I took to be ‘frightened,’ and which may just have been her habitual absentminded gook-stare.
1955		Mad mag. Aug.–Sept. 54: Gook – non-commissioned officer.
1963		in T.I. Rubin Sweet Daddy 1: I’m not like a lot of the gooks here making with this head shrinker talk.
1975		G. Underwood ‘Razorback Sl.’ in AS L:1/2 59: gook n 1: Person regarded as dull, foolish or stupid.
1990		P. Hotz Muzukuru 220: ‘They’ve hit me!’ he yells. ‘Fuckin’ gooks’ve hit me!’.

2. a tramp.

1908

A.N. Lyons Arthur’s 20: The Champion Songster, disguised as a gook. Arthur on the tramp.