# spouting

/ˈspaʊtɪŋ/ (US) · /spˈaʊtɪŋ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/spouting
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. liquid flowing out

verb · CEFR B2

to flow or come out of something quickly and with force.

For teachers: to eject or be ejected in a rapid, forceful stream or jet.

- Water was spouting from the broken pipe all over the kitchen floor.
- The whale surfaced briefly, spouting a plume of mist into the cold morning air before diving back into the depths.

### 2. talking too much

verb · CEFR B2 · Informal

to speak a lot about something, especially when you are repeating facts or opinions that others find boring.

For teachers: to express opinions or information in a repetitive, pompous, or tedious manner.

- He spent the whole dinner spouting facts about his new car.
- The politician stood on the stage spouting the same tired slogans he had used throughout the entire campaign.

Teaching tip: This sense often carries a negative tone, suggesting the speaker is being annoying or showing off.

### 3. roof guttering

noun · CEFR C1 · Dialect

the channels under the edge of a roof that carry rainwater away.

For teachers: a system of gutters fixed to the eaves of a building to collect and divert rainwater.

- We need to clean the leaves out of the spouting before the storm starts.
- The heavy tropical downpour quickly overwhelmed the house's spouting, causing water to cascade over the sides of the porch.

Teaching tip: This term is primarily used in Australian and New Zealand English; speakers in the UK or US would typically say 'gutters' or 'guttering'.

## Examples

- He is spouting his new ideas to everyone at the office.
- The politician spent the entire afternoon spouting his latest policy proposals to a group of local reporters.
- While the speaker was spouting a series of impressive statistics, the audience remained skeptical of the underlying assumptions that supported his argument.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.