English Reference
noun

shout

n.
US /ˈʃaʊt/ UK /ʃˈaʊt/ shout UK spelling shouted, shouts

  1. 01 A2 Elementary

    a loud cry or yell.

    a sudden, loud vocalisation expressing a specific emotion or intended to attract attention.

    Simple

    I heard a loud shout from the garden and ran to see what happened.

    In context

    A sudden shout of triumph erupted from the stadium as the home team scored in the final seconds of the match.

    yelloutcrybellow
  2. 02 C1 Advanced British EnglishSlang

    your turn to buy drinks for everyone in your group.

    a round of drinks purchased for a group; specifically the obligation to pay for such a round.

    Simple

    It is my shout, so tell me what you all want to drink.

    In context

    After three rounds of drinks, it was finally his shout, though he seemed remarkably slow to reach for his wallet.

  3. 03 B1 Intermediate Informal

    a public mention or thank you, often on the radio or social media.

    a brief mention, greeting, or public acknowledgement, typically during a broadcast or digital performance.

    Simple

    The DJ gave a shout to all the students listening in the library.

    In context

    During the live stream, the creator gave a quick shout to her top patrons for their continued financial support.

    shout outmentioncredit

Etymology 1

From Middle English shouten. Further origin uncertain. Possibly related to Middle English shooten (“to shoot (out)”) or from or akin to Old Norse skúta (“to chide, scold”), Old Norse skúti, skúta (“a taunt”). See also the second, rare sense of the verb scout (“to reject with contempt”).

Etymology 2

From Middle English shout(e), from Middle Dutch schûte (“boat or light ship”). Doublet of schuit, see there for more.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Origin Middle English shouten
Level A2 · Elementary
Frequency Common
Updated