toot

¹ American  

[toot] / tut /

verb (used without object)

1. (of a horn or whistle) to give forth its characteristic sound.

2. to make a sound resembling that of a horn, whistle, or the like.

3. to sound or blow a horn, whistle, or wind instrument.

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verb (used with object)

1. to cause (a horn, whistle, or wind instrument) to sound.

2. to sound (notes, music, etc.) on a horn or the like.

noun

1. an act or sound of tooting.

2. Slang. cocaine.

toot ² American  

[toot] / tut /

noun

Slang.

1. a period or instance of drunken revelry; binge; spree.

   Those idiots went on a toot last night and spent the night in the slammer.

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toot ³ American  

[toot] / tʊt /

noun

Australian Informal.

1. lavatory; toilet.

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toot ⁴ American  

[toot] / tʊt /

noun

Chiefly Pennsylvania German.

1. a paper bag.

2. a paper cone used as a container.

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toot ¹ British  

/ tuːt /

verb

1. to give or cause to give (a short blast, hoot, or whistle)

   to toot a horn

   to toot a blast

   the train tooted

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noun

1. the sound made by or as if by a horn, whistle, etc

2. slang any drug for snorting, esp cocaine

3. slang a drinking spree

4. slang a lavatory

toot ² British  

/ tuːt /

noun

1. an informal name for tutu 2

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Other Word Forms

• tooter noun

Etymology

Origin of toot¹

First recorded in 1500–10; akin to Low German, German tuten, Dutch toeten, Swedish tuta in the same sense; imitative of the sound; 1975–80 toot ¹ for def. 7

Origin of toot²

First recorded in 1670–80; origin uncertain

Origin of toot³

First recorded in 1945–50; perhaps jocular alteration of toilet

Origin of toot⁴

From Pennsylvania Dutch dutt; compare German Tüte, from Low German tüte “something horn-shaped, paper rolled into the shape of a horn”; toot ¹

Example Sentences

It’s time to start tooting your own horn at work.

From The Wall Street Journal

So, while tooting your own horn can be uncomfortable, logging and publicizing on-the-job wins is about controlling your professional narrative.

From The Wall Street Journal

On Monday afternoon, sporadic vuvuzela toots and car horns could still be heard downtown, although unclear whether a holdover from the prior night's celebrations or in anticipation of the team's forthcoming arrival.

From Barron's

City Hall, which dates to the 16th century, toots out a cheerful jazz bugle call several times a day.

From The Wall Street Journal

The orchestra warms up — there is the toot of a horn, the sound of strings.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• honk