hoot
1- to cry out or shout, especially in disapproval or derision.
- to utter the cry characteristic of an owl.
- to utter a similar sound.
- Chiefly British. to blow a horn or whistle; toot.
- to assail with shouts of disapproval or derision: The fans hooted the umpire.
- to drive out, off, or away by hooting.
- to express in hoots: The crowd hooted its disagreement with the speaker.
- the cry of an owl.
- any similar sound, as an inarticulate shout.
- a cry or shout, especially of disapproval or derision.
- British. a horn, siren, or whistle, especially a factory whistle.
- Informal. the least bit of concern, interest, or thought; trifle: His religion doesn't matter a hoot to me.
- Slang. an extremely funny person, situation, or event: Your cousin is such a hoot!
- not give/care a hoot, Informal. to not care at all: I don't give a hoot.Also not give/care two hoots.
Origin of hoot
1Synonyms for hoot
See more synonyms for on Thesaurus.comhoot
2or hoots
- (used as an expression of impatience, dissatisfaction, objection, or dislike.)
Origin of hoot
2Examples from the Web for hoot
Contemporary Examples of hoot
Hooters is cleverly asking me to “Give a Hoot” about breast cancer.
I thought you were a hoot on Community as the lawyer for the estate of Pierce.
Kentucky’s Finest Antihero: Walton Goggins on Justified’s Chameleon VillainAllen Barra
February 11, 2014
The Explosion at the Wig Factory was about as big of a hoot as you can comfortably call a tragedy like an explosion.
The Palestinian Authority didn't give a hoot what the reasons were.
“ John F. Kennedy Jr. was a hoot to do at his first convention,” Sheehan says.
Historical Examples of hoot
Anyway, we can tell in a minute or two, 'cause them owls are sure to hoot again.
The Rock of ChickamaugaJoseph A. Altsheler
But I thought that there was a hoot of laughter in the high wail of the wind.
Alarms and DiscursionsG. K. Chesterton
It was between nine and ten o'clock that Jack heard the hoot of an owl.
Oh, You Tex!William Macleod Raine
Take away the castles, and not even a German would give a hoot for it.
A Book of BurlesquesH. L. Mencken
He grinned to himself, and just then the hoot of an owl sounded.
The Boy Scouts on the TrailGeorge Durston
hoot
1- the mournful wavering cry of some owls
- a similar sound, such as that of a train whistle
- a jeer of derision
- informal an amusing person or thingthe weekend was a hoot
- not give a hoot not to care at all
- (often foll by at) to jeer or yell (something) contemptuously (at someone)
- (tr) to drive (political speakers, actors on stage, etc) off or away by hooting
- (intr) to make a hoot
- (intr) British to blow a horn
Word Origin for hoot
hoot
2hoots (huːts)
- an exclamation of impatience or dissatisfaction: a supposed Scotticism
Word Origin for hoot
hoot
3- Australian and NZ a slang word for money
Word Origin for hoot
Word Origin and History for hoot
"to call or shout in disapproval or scorn," c.1600, probably related to or from huten, "to shout, call out" (c.1200), probably ultimately imitative. First used of bird cries, especially that of the owl, mid-15c. Related: Hooted; hooting. As a noun from mid-15c. Meaning "a laugh, something funny" is first recorded 1942. Slang sense of "smallest amount or particle" (The hoot you don't give when you don't care) is from 1891.
"A dod blasted ole fool!" answered the captain, who, till now, had been merely an amused on-looker. "Ye know all this rumpus wont do nobuddy a hoot o' good--not a hoot." ["Alonge Traverse Shores," Traverse City, Michigan, 1891]
Hooter in the same sense is from 1839.
HOOTER. Probably a corruption of iota. Common in New York in such phrases as "I don't care a hooter for him." "This note ain't worth a hooter." [John Russell Bartlett, "Dictionary of Americanisms," 1877]
Idioms and Phrases with hoot
hoot
see not give a damn (hoot).