scout

¹

[skout]

noun

1. a soldier, warship, airplane, etc., employed in reconnoitering.

2. a person sent out to obtain information.

3. Sports.

   1. a person who observes and reports on the techniques, players, etc., of opposing teams.

   2. 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 Scout 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.

verb (used without object)

1. to act as a scout; reconnoiter.

2. to make a search; hunt.

3. to work as a talent scout.

verb (used with object)

1. to examine, inspect, or observe for the purpose of obtaining information; reconnoiter.

   to scout the enemy's defenses.

2. to seek; search for (usually followed by out orup ).

   to scout up a date for Friday night.

3. to find by seeking, searching, or looking (usually followed by out orup ).

   Scout out a good book for me to read.

scout

²

[skout]

verb (used with object)

1. to treat with scorn; dismiss.

2. to make fun of; deride; mock.

verb (used without object)

1. to scoff; jeer.

scout

¹

/ skaʊt /

noun

1. a person, ship, or aircraft sent out to gain information

2. military a person or unit despatched to reconnoitre the position of the enemy

3. sport a person employed by a club to seek new players

4. the act or an instance of scouting

5. (esp at Oxford University) a college servant Compare gyp 3

6. obsolete,  (in Britain) a patrolman of a motoring organization

7. informal,  a fellow or companion

verb

1. to examine or observe (anything) in order to obtain information

2. (tr; sometimes foll by out or up) to seek

3. (intr) to act as a scout for a sports club

4. (intr; foll by about or around) to go in search (for)

Scout

²

/ skaʊt /

noun

1. (sometimes not capital) a boy or (in some countries) a girl who is a member of a worldwide movement (the Scout Association ) founded as the Boy Scouts in England in 1908 by Lord Baden-Powell with the aim of developing character and responsibility See also Air Scout Girl Scout Guide Sea Scout Venture Scout

scout

³

/ skaʊt /

verb

1. archaic,  to reject (a person or thing) with contempt

Other Word Forms

• scouter noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of scout¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English verb scouten. skowten, from Old French escouter, escolter, ascolter ( French écouter “to listen”) from Late Latin ascultāre, Latin auscultāre “to listen, listen to”; Middle English noun scoute-, from Old French escoute, derivative of escouter; auscultation

Origin of scout²

First recorded in 1595–1605; perhaps from Old Norse skūta, skūti “abuse, taunting”; shout

Word History and Origins

Origin of scout¹

C14: from Old French ascouter to listen to, from Latin auscultāre to _auscultate

Origin of scout²

C17: from Old Norse skūta derision

Idioms and Phrases

see good egg (scout).

Example Sentences

She felt relying heavily on AI to source investment opportunities could kill the serendipity of scouting for deals, which can uncover talented entrepreneurs in unsuspecting ways.

Read more on Wall Street Journal

It didn’t require much imagination to see how scouts would one day declare him the rare defensive line prospect worthy of the word “generational.”

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Nagy oversees a staff that includes 10 full-time scouts, whose responsibilities include analyzing upcoming opponents, evaluating possible transfer portal entrants, as well as monitoring high-school recruits.

Read more on Wall Street Journal

But soon, Liverpool came to understand that in the Premier League, good processes, smart scouting, and financial discipline weren’t enough.

Read more on Wall Street Journal

If a scout flubs a detail in a meeting, Dombrowski is the first to notice—an ability that sends a message to his entire staff.

Read more on Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• examine 
• explore 
• inspect