[Imitative.] The cry of some birds, rooks, divers, etc.
1856. Kane, Arct. Expl., I. xxi. 269. These last flew very high, emitting at regular intervals their reed-like ‘kawk.’
1879. Jefferies, Wild Life in S. Co., 276. Those [rooks] that are diving utter a gurgling sound like the usual cawk prolonged—‘caw-wouk.’
Hence Cawk v.
1761. Life J. Churchman (1780), 297. I thought I saw also the raven fly, cawking, to and fro, but he did not return.
