bout

[ bout ]

/ baʊt /

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See synonyms for: bout / bouts on Thesaurus.com

noun

a contest or trial of strength, as of boxing.

period; session; spell: a bout of illness.

a turn at work or any action.

a going and returning across a field, as in mowing or reaping.

OTHER WORDS FOR bout

1 match, fray, encounter.

See synonyms for bout on Thesaurus.com

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Origin of bout

1535–45; variant of obsolete bought bend, turn, derivative of bowbow¹; see bight

Words nearby bout

bourtree, bouse, bousouki, boustrophedon, bousy, bout, boutade, boutel, boutique, boutique brewery, boutonniere

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use bout in a sentence

Putin is certainly unlikely to be dislodged by this bout of unrest.
'The Whole System Needs Changing.' The Russia Protests Are About More Than Just Alexei Navalny|Madeline Roache|February 5, 2021|Time
Depending on location, the shot was only 72 percent to 57 percent effective against moderate to severe bouts of the illness.
One-shot COVID-19 vaccine is effective against severe disease|Tina Hesman Saey|January 29, 2021|Science News
Now as an adult, making and eating this dish provides an anchor to my Trinbagonian heritage and alleviates the bouts of homesickness that are most acute during these punishing winter months.
Trinidad-style aloo and channa infuses an Indian classic with Caribbean flavor|Brigid Washington|January 22, 2021|Washington Post
As her only child, Antara embraces the responsibility of caring for her with a determination threaded with resentment and even bouts of suspicion.
‘Burnt Sugar,’ a challenging Booker Prize finalist, is hard to take, but harder to shake off|Ron Charles|January 19, 2021|Washington Post

My brother, who had a bout with pneumonia in the past year, did not leave Boston.
Tallying up a year of loss: A lot of pounds, too many loved ones, countless connections|Jerry Brewer|December 27, 2020|Washington Post
A “simple bout of flu” is incapable of mutating into an Ebola infection.
The Sham, Scaremongering Guide to Ebola|Abby Haglage|November 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Regardless of how one wrestles with Noam Chomsky, one does always wrestle, leaving the bout much smarter and stronger.
Noam Chomsky—Infuriating and Necessary|David Masciotra|September 28, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Omran managed to finish high school despite his bout with cancer and two wars in three years.
Beating Cancer & Dodging Israel's Bombs|Itay Hod|September 1, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Then he pauses and looks up, doing a quick bout of surveying in his head.
John Lithgow and Alfred Molina's 'Love Is Strange' Is the Love Story of the Year|Kevin Fallon|August 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
A bout with a life-threatening—though not life-ending—illness is always good awards bait.
'SNL' Star Kate McKinnon's Big, 'Awesome,' Emmy-Nominated Year|Kevin Fallon|August 19, 2014|DAILY BEAST
I don't b'lieve nothin', and try to keep a close mouth 'bout what I do b'lieve.
The Cromptons|Mary J. Holmes
Whales, sir—a whole school of 'em—off the star-b'd quarter 'bout five miles away—big ones!
Fifty Contemporary One-Act Plays|Various
Sometimes dey'd pull up at de sho' en take a res' b'fo' dey started acrost, so by de talk I got to know all 'bout de killin'.
Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Complete|Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens)
Strange to see what a deal of money is flung to them both upon the stage between every bout.
Diary of Samuel Pepys, Complete|Samuel Pepys
But you take a man dat's got 'bout five million chillen runnin' roun' de house, en it's diffunt.
Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Complete|Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens)

British Dictionary definitions for bout

bout

/ (baʊt) /

noun

a period of time spent doing something, such as drinking
a period of illness

a contest or fight, esp a boxing or wrestling match

Word Origin for bout

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

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

bout

OTHER WORDS FOR bout

Origin of bout

Words nearby bout

Words related to bout

How to use bout in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for bout

Word Origin for bout