lout

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English

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Pronunciation

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Etymology 1

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Of dialectal origin, likely from Middle English louten (to bow, bend low, stoop over), from Old English lūtan, from Proto-Germanic *lūtaną. Cognate with Old Norse lútr (stooping), Gothic 𐌻𐌿𐍄𐍉𐌽 (lutōn, to deceive). Non-Germanic cognates are probably Old Church Slavonic лоудити (luditi, to deceive),[1] Serbo-Croatian lud and Albanian lut (to beg, pray).

Noun

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lout (plural louts)

  1. A troublemaker, often violent; a rude violent person; a yob.
    Synonyms: see Thesaurus:troublemaker
    • 1906, Stanley J[ohn] Weyman, “The Dissolution”, in Chippinge Borough, New York, N.Y.: McClure, Phillips & Co., →OCLC, page 6:
      But the lout looked only to his market, and was not easily repulsed. “He’s there, I tell you,” he persisted. “And for threepence I’ll get you to see him. Come on, your honour! It’s many a Westminster election I’ve seen, and beer running, from Mr. Fox, [] when maybe it’s your honour’s going to stand! Anyway, it’s, Down with the mongers!”
    • 1934 October, George Orwell [pseudonym; Eric Arthur Blair], chapter 5, in Burmese Days, New York, N.Y.: Harper & Brothers, Publishers, →OCLC:
      You see louts fresh from school kicking grey-haired servants.
  2. A clownish, awkward fellow; a bumpkin.
    Synonyms: see Thesaurus:bumpkin
Derived terms
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Translations
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Verb

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lout (third-person singular simple present louts, present participle louting, simple past and past participle louted)

  1. (obsolete, transitive) To treat as a lout or fool; to neglect; to disappoint.

Etymology 2

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From Middle English louten, from Old English lūtan, from Proto-Germanic *lūtaną. Cognate with Old Norse lúta, Danish lude (to bend), Norwegian lute (stoop), Swedish luta.

Verb

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lout (third-person singular simple present louts, present participle louting, simple past and past participle louted)

  1. (intransitive, archaic) To bend, bow, stoop.

References

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  1. ^ Douglas Harper (2001–2024) “lout”, in Online Etymology Dictionary.

Anagrams

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