sb. Obs. Forms: 1 ʓeac, ʓaec, ʓec, iac, iec, 4–5 ȝeke, yeke. [OE. ʓéac cuckoo = MLG. gôk simpleton, MDu. gooc, OHG., MHG. gouh, gouch cuckoo, bastard, fool, (G. gauch provincial name of cuckoo, etc., simpleton, gawk), ON. gaukr cuckoo (whence Sc. GOWK); perhaps f. gau- as in *gaujan (see YEIE v.).] The cuckoo. Also in comb. (with gen.) † Yekesterse [TARSE1] = CUCKOO-PINT.

1

  With OE. ʓéaces súre ‘cuckoo’s sorrel’ cf. ME. goukesures glossing Alleluia in MS. Rawl. C. 607 lf. 1 b.

2

c. 725.  Corpus Gloss. (Hessels), A 131. Accitulium, ʓeces sure [Epinal ʓeacaes; Erfurt ʓecaes]. Ibid., C 121. Calciculium, ieces surae [Erfurt iaces sura]. Ibid., G 87. Geumatrix, ʓeac.

3

a. 1000.  Guthlac, 716. Ʒeacas ʓear budon.

4

a. 1387.  Sinon. Barthol. (Anecd. Oxon.), 24. Iarus, barba aaron, pes vituli,… i. ȝekesterse.

5

14[?].  MS. Porkington, lf. 59 (Halliw.). Whene the ȝeke gynnys to synge, Thenne the schrewe begynnys to sprynge.

6

14[?].  MS. Rawl. C., 506, lf. 249 b. Iarus aaron, ȝeksters, gauk pyntill.

7