gawf

In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.

Meaning · English

A cheap and low-quality apple that has been polished to deceptively appear of better quality.

Register: slang

Where it’s used: Used American English

Examples

A cheap red-skinned fruit, known to costermongers as "gawfs," is rubbed hard, to look bright and feel soft, and is mixed with apples of a superior description. "Gawfs are sweet and sour at once," I was told, "and fit for nothing but mixing."

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “gawf” mean?

A cheap and low-quality apple that has been polished to deceptively appear of better quality.

Is “gawf” formal or informal?

gawf is generally slang.