tout

[tout]

verb (used without object)

1. to persistently solicit business, employment, votes, or the like.

2. Horse Racing.,  to act as a tout.

verb (used with object)

1. to persistently solicit support for.

2. to describe or advertise boastfully; publicize or promote; praise extravagantly.

   a highly touted nightclub.

3. Horse Racing.

   1. to provide information on (a horse) running in a particular race, especially for a fee.

   2. to spy on (a horse in training) in order to gain information for the purpose of betting.

4. to watch; spy on.

noun

1. a person who persistently solicits business, employment, support, or the like.

2. Horse Racing.

   1. a person who gives information on a horse, especially for a fee.

   2. Chiefly British.,  a person who spies on a horse in training for the purpose of betting.

3. British.,  a ticket scalper.

tout

/ taʊt /

verb

1. to solicit (business, customers, etc) or hawk (merchandise), esp in a brazen way

2. (intr)

   1. to spy on racehorses being trained in order to obtain information for betting purposes

   2. to sell, or attempt to sell, such information or to take bets, esp in public places

3. informal,  (tr) to recommend flatteringly or excessively

noun

1. 1. a person who spies on racehorses so as to obtain betting information to sell

   2. a person who sells information obtained by such spying

2. a person who solicits business in a brazen way

3. Also called: ticket tout. a person who sells tickets unofficially for a heavily booked sporting event, concert, etc, at greatly inflated prices

4. a police informer

Other Word Forms

• touter noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of tout¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; from Middle English tuten “to look out, peer”; probably akin to Old English tōtian “to peep out”

Word History and Origins

Origin of tout¹

C14 (in the sense: to peer, look out): related to Old English tӯtan to peep out

Example Sentences

Manchester United has a major problem with ticket touts.

Read more on BBC

Yugandhar said India was a proud country and touted its new lab for reading black boxes in Delhi.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

“These bands were messy, loud, indie, real and somehow still innovative,” Frank adds of the 30th anniversary show, which is being touted as a Vol.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

They aim to head off future requirements touted by safety advocates and argue instead for advancing autonomous vehicle technology.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

It was all part of what’s being touted as “a museum unlike any other, where faith and forensics meet.”

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• laud 
• praise 
• proclaim 
• promote 
• publicize 
• trumpet