English · Slang Historical

gape

Preserved but no longer current.

Both English Tiếng Việt

Meaning · English

To stare about in an astonished manner. "GAPING about like a country bumpkin." Sometimes pronounced GARP. There is no reference in the use of this phrase by Cockneys to GAPE in its correct sense.

Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt

nhìn ngạc nhiên

Machine-translated — suggest a fix

Era: ca. 1874 (Victorian)

Where it’s used: Origin British & Irish English

Sources & notes

Historical definition reproduced from Hotten’s The Slang Dictionary (1874, public domain; Project Gutenberg #42108, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.

Topics: Historical slang (1800s)

Common questions

What does “gape” mean?

To stare about in an astonished manner. "GAPING about like a country bumpkin." Sometimes pronounced GARP. There is no reference in the use of this phrase by Cockneys to GAPE in its correct sense.

Is “gape” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.

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