释义 |
scout I. \ˈskau̇t, usu -au̇d.+V\ verb (-ed/-ing/-s) Etymology: Middle English scouten, from Middle French escouter to listen, attend to, from Old French ascouter, from Latin auscultare to listen — more at auscultation intransitive verb 1. : to explore an area to obtain information (as about an enemy) < scout far and wide into the realm of night — John Milton > 2. a. : to make a search < descended into the basement to scout around for available lumber — H.A.Overstreet > < began to scout for a better way to do this — Linotype News > b. : to act as an athletic scout < the jobs of coaching the freshman football team and scouting for the varsity team — Current Biography > 3. archaic : to act as a fielder in cricket transitive verb 1. a. : to observe in order to obtain information < rode back through the little basin once more carefully scouting the cabin — P.E.Lehman > b. : to observe (as an athlete or an actor) in order to evaluate < whispered phony rumors to the cast telling them that producers were out front to scout them — June Allyson > 2. : to explore in order to obtain information : reconnoiter < had his dragoons to scout the territory ahead of him — F.V.W.Mason > 3. : to find by making a search < launched the artists he had scouted > < scouts his own material — Roger Angell > < could scout up clients and talk up lawsuits — Jackson Burgess > II. noun (-s) Etymology: Middle French escoute act of listening, listener, sentry, from escouter to listen 1. a. : the act of scouting < set myself upon the scout as often as possible — Daniel Defoe > b. : a scouting expedition : reconnaissance < set out on foot for a week's rapid scout in the hope of finding just the right place for a permanent camp — D.C.Worcester > 2. a. : one sent out to obtain and bring back information (as about the position and movements of an enemy) b. (1) : watchman, lookout (2) archaic : spy, sneak c. archaic : a reconnoitering party d. : one employed by a petroleum company to obtain information about prospective oil well locations and operations 3. a. : a ship sent out in war to reconnoiter and obtain information about the position, movements, and strength of the enemy b. : air scout 1 4. : a servant to a student at Oxford University 5. : a person whose occupation is searching for something rare or difficult to find < the very prince of scouts for searching blind alleys, cellars, and stalls for rare volumes — Sir Walter Scott > 6. archaic a. : a fielder in cricket b. : a boy who chases and returns hit balls in baseball batting practice 7. a. : boy scout b. : girl scout 8. : fellow, guy — usually used in the phrase good scout 9. a. (1) : a person sent out to secure firsthand information about the style of play, tactics, and strength of a rival in sports (2) : a person sent out by a professional club or by a college to obtain information about players by watching them in action with a view to making recommendations about the acquisition of players b. : a person sent out to search for talented newcomers to a profession < a scout for the motion-picture industry > III. noun (-s) Etymology: Middle English, from Middle Dutch schute; akin to Old Norse skūta small ship, Old English scēotan to shoot — more at shoot : schuyt IV. noun (-s) Etymology: origin unknown 1. : guillemot 2. : razorbill V. verb (-ed/-ing/-s) Etymology: of Scandinavian origin; akin to Old Norse skūta, skūti taunt — more at shout transitive verb 1. : to make fun of : mock, deride < scouted the stories as he told them > 2. : to reject scornfully : dismiss as absurd < economists still scout the idea that the new wave of price hikes spells inflation — Newsweek > intransitive verb : scoff — usually used with at < scouted at the greenness of the cit who would build his sole piazza to the north — Herman Melville > Synonyms: see despise |