bout

[ bout ]

noun

1. a contest or trial of strength, as of boxing.

   Synonyms: encounter, fray, match

2. period; session; spell:

   a bout of illness.

3. a turn at work or any action.
4. a going and returning across a field, as in mowing or reaping.

bout

/ baʊt /

noun

1. 1. a period of time spent doing something, such as drinking
   2. a period of illness
2. a contest or fight, esp a boxing or wrestling match

Word History and Origins

Origin of bout¹

1535–45; variant of obsolete bought bend, turn, derivative of bow bow ¹; bight

Word History and Origins

Origin of bout¹

C16: variant of obsolete bought turn; related to German Bucht bight ; see about

Example Sentences

A professional fighter, or at least a professional fighter with any sense, does one thing in between bouts: They train.

From New York Times

DR Congo has also dealt with bouts of Ebola over the years.

From BBC

Ms Hill, from Hotwells, Bristol, first developed symptoms as a teenager, which included migraines, bouts of nausea, vertigo, tinnitus and brain fog, meaning she was unable to hold down a job.

From BBC

The bouts were true Mexican boxing classics that left both fighters physically scarred, as neither of them was the same after those three duels in the span of a year.

From Los Angeles Times

Ghanaians were hit particularly hard in the pocket by the global bout of inflation, beginning in early 2022, that saw prices rise in the country at their fastest rate for more than two decades.

From BBC

Related Words

• battle
• boxing match
• competition
• contest
• encounter
• match
• round
• struggle