scout
1 Americannoun
-
a soldier, warship, airplane, etc., employed in reconnoitering.
-
a person sent out to obtain information.
-
Sports.
-
a person who observes and reports on the techniques, players, etc., of opposing teams.
-
a person sent out by a team to observe and recommend new talent for recruitment.
-
-
a talent scout, as in the entertainment field.
-
an act or instance of reconnoitering, inspecting, observing, etc.
-
Sometimes Scout a Boy Scout or Girl Scout.
-
Informal. a person.
He's a good scout.
-
a man acting as servant to a student at Oxford University.
verb (used without object)
-
to act as a scout; reconnoiter.
-
to make a search; hunt.
-
to work as a talent scout.
verb (used with object)
-
to examine, inspect, or observe for the purpose of obtaining information; reconnoiter.
to scout the enemy's defenses.
-
to seek; search for (usually followed by out orup ).
to scout up a date for Friday night.
-
to find by seeking, searching, or looking (usually followed by out orup ).
Scout out a good book for me to read.
noun
-
a person, ship, or aircraft sent out to gain information
-
military a person or unit despatched to reconnoitre the position of the enemy
-
sport a person employed by a club to seek new players
-
the act or an instance of scouting
-
(esp at Oxford University) a college servant Compare gyp 3
-
obsolete (in Britain) a patrolman of a motoring organization
-
informal a fellow or companion
verb
-
to examine or observe (anything) in order to obtain information
-
(tr; sometimes foll by out or up) to seek
-
(intr) to act as a scout for a sports club
-
(intr; foll by about or around) to go in search (for)
noun
verb
Other Word Forms
- scouter noun
Etymology
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
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Unless Snead and his scouts have identified a sleeper pick, this year’s draft class is not brimming with top quarterback prospects other than Fernando Mendoza.
From Los Angeles Times
Morgan always had the natural ability when we were kids, even at the age of four or five, and he was scouted by Ipswich by the age of seven.
From BBC
"There's nothing for the kids, no clubs, no brownies or scouts," she says.
From BBC
In 2024 the company organized three group scouting trips for clients; this year it will be 57, she said: “Our goal is to move one million Americans.”
“As we refine and build out our NBA draft and scouting processes, we could think of no better basketball mind than Tony Bennett to have as a resource,” Pelinka said in a statement.
From Los Angeles Times
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
