Etymology Ultimately from Old English dalc (“pin”). More at dalk.
1
A hollow or crack in timber.
THE DAWK was a slight concavity or depression in the body of the cast type , made by a corresponding convexity in the mould1677–1683, Joseph Moxon, “(please specify the page)”, in Mechanick Exercises, or The Doctrine of Handy-Works, […], volume (please specify |volume=I or II), London: […] Joseph Moxon, published 1678–1683, →OCLC:
dawk
noun
Etymology Blend of dove + hawk. Coined by American author Donald S. Zagoria in 1967 (see quotation).
1
Government, Politics A person who advocates neither an aggressive nor a conciliatory political attitude (especially in foreign policy).
In the analysis that follows, I shall explore the foreign policy views of three distinct factions within the Chinese elite: “hawks, doves, and dawks.” In my view, the “dawks,” “centrists,” or more precisely, Maoists, have won.1967, Donald S. Zagoria, “Peking’s Hawks, Doves, and Dawks” (chapter 3), in Vietnam Triangle: Moscow, Peking, Hanoi, New York, N.Y.: Pegasus, →LCCN, page 67: