scout

Scout is defined as to explore or observe.

(verb)

An example of scout is to look for basketball players to join a college team.

The definition of a scout is someone sent out to get information, or a member of the Girl Scouts or Boy Scouts.

(noun)

  1. An example of a scout is a spy.
  2. An example of a scout is a person in a Brownie troop.

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See scout in Webster's New World College Dictionary

noun

  1. a soldier, ship, or plane sent to spy out the strength, movements, etc. of the enemy
  2. ☆ a person sent out to observe the tactics of an opponent, to search out new talent, etc.: a baseball scout
  3. a member of the Boy Scouts or Girl Scouts
  4. the act of reconnoitering
  5. Slang fellow; guy

Origin: ME scoute < OFr escoute < escouter, escolter, to hear < VL ascultare, for L auscultare, to listen: see auscultation

transitive verb

  1. to follow closely so as to spy upon
  2. to look for; watch
  3. to find or get by looking around: often with out, up

intransitive verb

  1. to go out in search of information about the enemy; reconnoiter
  2. to go in search of something; hunt: scout around for some firewood
  3. ☆ to work as a scout ()

Related Forms:

transitive verb

to reject as absurd; flout; scoff at

Origin: prob. via dial. < ON skuti, a taunt, term of abuse, akin to shout

intransitive verb

to scoff (at); jeer

See scout in American Heritage Dictionary 4

verb scout·ed, scout·ing, scouts
verb, transitive
  1. To spy on or explore carefully in order to obtain information; reconnoiter.
  2. To observe and evaluate (a talented person), as for possible hiring.
verb, intransitive
  1. To search as a scout: scout around for some gossip.
  2. To search for talented people: scouts for a professional basketball team.
noun
  1. a. One that is dispatched from a main body to gather information, especially in preparation for military action.
    b. The act of reconnoitering.
  2. A watcher or sentinel.
  3. One who is employed to discover and recruit talented persons, especially in the fields of sports and entertainment.
  4. Sports One who is employed to observe and report on the strategies and players of rival teams.
  5. often Scout
    a. A member of the Boy Scouts.
    b. A member of the Girl Scouts.
  6. Informal An individual; a person: a good scout.
  7. Chiefly British A student's male servant at Oxford University.

Origin:

Origin: From Middle English scoute, act of watching or spying

Origin: , from Old French escoute

Origin: , from escouter, to listen

Origin: , alteration of ascouter

Origin: , from Vulgar Latin *ascultāre

Origin: , alteration of Latin auscultāre; see ous- in Indo-European roots

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Related Forms:

  • scoutˈer noun

verb scout·ed, scout·ing, scouts
verb, transitive
To reject with disdain or derision. See Synonyms at despise.
verb, intransitive
To treat another with derision; scoff.

Origin:

Origin: Of Scandinavian origin; see skeud- in Indo-European roots

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