scout 1
/skowt/ , n.
1. a soldier, warship, airplane, etc., employed in reconnoitering.
2. a person sent out to obtain information.
3. Sports.
a. a person who observes and reports on the techniques, players, etc., of opposing teams.
b. a person sent out by a team to observe and recommend new talent for recruitment.
4. a talent scout, as in the entertainment field.
5. an act or instance of reconnoitering, inspecting, observing, etc.
6. ( sometimes cap. ) a Boy Scout or Girl Scout.
7. Informal. a person: He's a good scout.
8. a man acting as servant to a student at Oxford University.
v.i.
9. to act as a scout; reconnoiter.
10. to make a search; hunt.
11. to work as a talent scout.
v.t.
12. to examine, inspect, or observe for the purpose of obtaining information; reconnoiter: to scout the enemy's defenses.
13. to seek; search for (usually fol. by out or up ): to scout up a date for Friday night.
14. to find by seeking, searching, or looking (usually fol. by out or up ): Scout out a good book for me to read.
[ 1300-50; (v.) ME skowten escouter, escolter, ascolter (F écouter to listen) ascultare, L auscultare to listen; see AUSCULTATE; (n.) escoute, deriv. of escouter ]
scout 2
/skowt/ , v.t.
1. to treat with scorn; dismiss.
2. to make fun of; deride; mock.
v.i.
3. to scoff; jeer.
[ 1595-1605; perh. skuta, skut abuse, angry words. See SHOUT ]