Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular presenttense spouts, present participle spouting, past tense, past participle spouted
1. verb
If something spouts liquid or fire, or if liquid or fire spout out of something, it comes out very quickly with a lot of force.
He replaced the boiler when the last one began to spout flames. [VERB noun]
The main square has a fountain that spouts water 40 feet into the air. [VERB noun preposition]
In a storm, water spouts out of the blowhole just like a whale. [VERB adverb/preposition]
Synonyms: stream, shoot, gush, spurt More Synonyms of spout
2. countable noun
A spoutof liquid is a long stream of it which is coming out of something very forcefully.
3. verb
If you say that a person spouts something, you disapprove of them because they say something which you do not agree with or which you think they do not honestly feel.
[disapproval]
He used his column to spout ill-informed criticism of the Scots rugby team. [VERB noun]
Spout forth and spout off mean the same as spout.
...an estate agent spouting forth about houses. [VP + about]
All too often he is spouting off about matters which should not concern him. [VPabout n]
4. countable noun
A spout is a long, hollow part of a container through which liquids can be poured out easily.
5.
See up the spout
More Synonyms of spout
spout in British English
(spaʊt)
verb
1.
to discharge (a liquid) in a continuous jet or in spurts, esp through a narrow gap or under pressure, or (of a liquid) to gush thus
2.
(of a whale, etc) to discharge air through the blowhole, so that it forms a spray at the surface of the water
3. informal
to utter (a stream of words) on a subject, often at length
noun
4.
a tube, pipe, chute, etc, allowing the passage or pouring of liquids, grain, etc
5.
a continuous stream or jet of liquid
6. short for waterspout
7. up the spout
Derived forms
spouter (ˈspouter)
noun
Word origin
C14: perhaps from Middle Dutch spouten, from Old Norse spyta to spit
spout in American English
(spaʊt)
noun
1.
a lip, orifice, or projecting tube, as on a teapot, in a drinking fountain, etc., by which a liquid is poured or discharged
2.
a.
a stream, jet, or discharge of or as of liquid from a spout
b.
the stream of air and water rising from the blowhole of a whale
3.
a.
downspout
b.
waterspout
4.
a chute for conveying substances, as grain or flour, or articles
5. British, Slang, Obsolete
a pawnshop
verb transitive
6.
to shoot out (liquid, etc.) from or as from a spout
7.
to speak or utter in a loud, pompous manner or in a ready, rapid flow of words
verb intransitive
8.
to flow or shoot out with force in a jet
said of liquid, etc.
9.
to discharge liquid, etc. from or as from a spout
10.
to spout words
Idioms:
spout off
up the spout
Derived forms
spouter (ˈspouter)
noun
spoutless (ˈspoutless)
adjective
Word origin
ME spute, spoute; (sense 5) from chute formerly used as a conveyance in shop
More idioms containing
spout
up the spout
Examples of 'spout' in a sentence
spout
What another spout of hot air that is.
The Sun (2009)
You can watch whales twist and spout right in front of this cool white hotel.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
It turned out to be a whale spouting.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
We want it spouting like a teapot!
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
The teapot spout was completely stopped up by tea leaves and no tea could come out of it.
Gavin Weightman SIGNOR MARCONI'S MAGIC BOX: The invention that sparked the radio revolution (2003)
Nor is it at all prudent for the hunter to be over curious touching the precise nature of the whale spout.
Herman Melville Moby Dick (1901)
Today they are just spouting lines.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
Top rust protection, a gentle spray and nice long spout.
The Sun (2012)
What she is spouting is rabid nonsense, and morally repugnant.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
We've come a long way since it was acceptable to spout such nonsense.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
This won't stop ministers spouting nonsense.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
Except that running a country is properly busy and spouting nonsense to 150,000 ageing listeners is not.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Any chance the Government might find him a job to help take his mind off spouting bile?
The Sun (2012)
To the north they could see icebergs, and to the south the spouting of whales.
Gavin Weightman SIGNOR MARCONI'S MAGIC BOX: The invention that sparked the radio revolution (2003)
They are spouting utter nonsense.
The Sun (2015)
Perhaps there should be another: Thou shalt not spout nonsense.
The Sun (2009)
As we chatted, it was refreshing to hear a player taking a bit of an interest in education rather than just spouting the usual clichés.
The Sun (2013)
But no one will be laughing if they end up sitting in the House of Commons spouting their nonsense.
The Sun (2013)
All this is despite government spouting forth about the importance of social integration as Britain's population continues to rise.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
And as for this whale spout, you might almost stand in it, and yet be undecided as to what it is precisely.
Herman Melville Moby Dick (1901)
In other languages
spout
British English: spout VERB
If something spouts liquid or fire, or if liquid or fire spout out of something, it comes out very quickly with a lot of force.
He replaced the boiler when the last one began to spout flames.
American English: spout
Brazilian Portuguese: jorrar
Chinese: 喷射液体、火
European Spanish: expulsar
French: cracher
German: sprühen
Italian: mandare
Japanese: 噴出する
Korean: 내뿜다
European Portuguese: jorrar
Latin American Spanish: expulsar
British English: spout NOUN
A spout of liquid is a long stream of it which is coming out of something very forcefully.
She lifted the kettle a little and tilted its spout over the tea-pot.
American English: spout
Brazilian Portuguese: esguicho
Chinese: 嘴容器的
European Spanish: chorro
French: jet
German: Strahl
Italian: getto
Japanese: 注ぎ口
Korean: 주전자 등의 주둥이
European Portuguese: esguicho
Latin American Spanish: chorro
1 (verb)
Definition
(of a liquid or flames) to pour out in a stream or jet
In a storm, water spouts out of the blowhole just like a whale.
Synonyms
stream
Tears streamed down their faces.
shoot
He shot an arrow into the air.
gush
Piping hot water gushed out of the tap.
spurt
I saw flames spurt from the roof.
jet
A cloud of white smoke jetted out from the trees.
spray
surge
The crowd surged out from the church.
discharge
The resulting salty water will be discharged at sea.
erupt
Those volcanoes erupt not lava but liquid sulphur.
emit
squirt
a splat of cream that squirts from a plastic container
2 (verb)
Definition
to talk about (something) in a boring way or without much thought
(informal)
She would go red in the face and start to spout.
Synonyms
hold forth
He is capable of holding forth with great eloquence.
talk
Come on; you're talking rubbish.
rant
I don't rant and rave or throw tea cups.
go on (informal)
rabbit (on) (British, informal)
ramble (on)
pontificate
Politicians like to pontificate about falling standards.
declaim
He used to declaim verse to us with immense energy.
spiel (informal)
expatiate
orate
speechify
1 (noun)
Definition
a stream or jet of liquid
Experts later blew it up, sending a spout of water soaring 30 feet into the sky.
Synonyms
jet
benches equipped with water jets to massage your back and feet
fountain
The volcano spewed a fountain of molten rock.
gush
I heard a gush of water.
outpouring
geyser
2 (noun)
Definition
a projecting tube or lip for pouring liquids
a pot with a broken spout
Synonyms
nozzle
lip
rose
Additional synonyms
in the sense of declaim
Definition
to speak loudly and dramatically
He used to declaim verse to us with immense energy.
Synonyms
speak,
lecture,
proclaim,
recite,
rant,
harangue,
hold forth,
spiel (informal),
orate,
perorate
in the sense of discharge
Definition
to cause to pour forth
The resulting salty water will be discharged at sea.
Synonyms
pour forth,
release,
empty,
leak,
emit,
dispense,
void,
gush,
ooze,
exude,
give off,
excrete,
disembogue
in the sense of erupt
Those volcanoes erupt not lava but liquid sulphur.
Synonyms
discharge,
expel,
vent,
emit,
vomit,
eject,
spout,
throw off,
spit out,
pour forth,
spew forth or out
Nearby words of
spout
spotted
spotty
spouse
spout
sprain
sprat
sprawl
Synonyms of 'spout'
spout
Explore 'spout' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of fountain
Definition
a jet or spray of water
The volcano spewed a fountain of molten rock.
Synonyms
jet,
stream,
spray,
gush
in the sense of gush
Definition
to speak or behave in an overenthusiastic manner
Piping hot water gushed out of the tap.
Synonyms
flow,
run,
rush,
flood,
pour,
jet,
burst,
stream,
cascade,
issue,
spurt,
spout
in the sense of gush
Definition
a sudden large flow of liquid
I heard a gush of water.
Synonyms
stream,
flow,
rush,
flood,
jet,
burst,
issue,
outburst,
cascade,
torrent,
spurt,
spout,
outflow
in the sense of orate
Synonyms
make a speech,
talk,
speak,
discourse,
pontificate,
declaim,
hold forth,
speechify
in the sense of pontificate
Definition
to speak in a dogmatic manner
Politicians like to pontificate about falling standards.
Synonyms
expound,
preach,
sound off,
pronounce,
declaim,
lay down the law,
hold forth,
dogmatize,
pontify
in the sense of rant
Definition
to talk in a loud and excited way
I don't rant and rave or throw tea cups.
Synonyms
shout,
roar,
yell,
rave,
bellow,
cry,
spout (informal),
bluster,
declaim,
vociferate
in the sense of shoot
Definition
to fire (a missile or missiles) from a weapon
He shot an arrow into the air.
Synonyms
fire,
launch,
discharge,
project,
hurl,
fling,
propel,
emit,
let fly
in the sense of spurt
Definition
to gush or cause (something) to gush out in a sudden powerful stream or jet
I saw flames spurt from the roof.
Synonyms
gush,
shoot,
burst,
spring,
jet,
spray,
surge,
erupt,
spew,
squirt
in the sense of squirt
Definition
to force (a liquid) or (of a liquid) to be forced out of a narrow opening
a splat of cream that squirts from a plastic container