Scout

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -aÊŠt

From Middle English, from Old French escouter ("to listen, heed"), from Latin auscultare ("to listen").

Full definition of scout

Noun

1. A person sent out to gain and bring in tidings; especially, one employed in war to gain information about the enemy and ground.
2. An act of scouting or reconnoitering.
• Cowperwhile the rat is on the scout
3. A member of any number of youth organizations belonging to the international Scouting movement, such as the Boy Scouts of America or Girl Scouts of the United States.
4. A person who assesses and/or recruits others; especially, one who identifies promising talent on behalf of a sports team.
5. (British) A college student's or undergraduate's servant; -- so called in Oxford, England; at Cambridge called a gyp; and at Dublin, a skip.
6. (British, cricket) A fielder in a game for practice.
7. (historical, British, up until 1920s) A fighter aircraft.

Verb

1. (transitive, intransitive) To explore a wide terrain, as on a search; to reconnoiter.
2. (transitive) To observe, watch, or look for, as a scout; to follow for the purpose of observation, as a scout.
• Beaumont and FletcherTake more men, and scout him round.

Derived terms

• scout about
• scout around
• scout out
• scout round
• scout up

Of Scandinavian origin: compare Old Norse skūti, skūta = "taunt"; thus may be related to "shout".

Verb

1. (transitive) To reject with contempt.to scout an idea or an apology
• 1610, , by William Shakespeare, act 3 scene 2Flout 'em and scout 'em; and scout 'em and flout 'em:
  Thought is free.
• Charles Dickens, David CopperfieldI don't think I had any definite idea where Dora came from, or in what degree she was related to a higher order of beings; but I am quite sure I should have scouted the notion of her being simply human, like any other young lady, with indignation and contempt.
2. (intransitive) To scoff.
• 1851, Herman Melville, , ch. 45So ignorant are most landsmen of some of the plainest and most palpable wonders of the world, that without some hints touching the plain facts, historical and otherwise, of the fishery, they might scout at Moby Dick as a monstrous fable, or still worse and more detestable, a hideous and intolerable allegory.

Icelandic skta? a small craft or cutter.

Noun

1. (dated) A swift sailing boat.
• Samuel PepysSo we took a scout, very much pleased with the manner and conversation of the passengers.

Icelandic word, meaning "to jut out".

Noun

1. (archaic) A projecting rock.