/ huːt; NAmE / verb , noun
■ verb
1.
[ v ] to make a loud noise :
He had the audience hooting with laughter .
Some people hooted in disgust.
2.
( BrE ) if a car horn hoots or you hoot or hoot the horn , the horn makes a loud noise
SYN honk :
[ v ]
hooting cars
Why did he hoot at me?
[ vn ]
Passing motorists hooted their horns.
The train hooted a warning (= the driver sounded the horn to warn people) .
3.
[ v ] when an owl hoots , it makes a long calling sound
■ noun
1.
[ C ] ( especially BrE ) a short loud laugh or shout :
The suggestion was greeted by hoots of laughter .
2.
[ sing. ] ( informal ) a situation or a person that you find very funny :
You ought to meet her—she's a hoot!
3.
the loud sound made by the horn of a vehicle
4.
the cry of an owl
•
IDIOMS
- not care / give a hoot | not care / give two hoots
••
WORD ORIGIN
Middle English (in the sense make sounds of derision ): perhaps imitative.