tout

[ tout ]

verb (used without object)

1. to persistently solicit business, employment, votes, or the like.
2. Horse Racing. to act as a tout.

verb (used with object)

1. to persistently solicit support for.
2. to describe or advertise boastfully; publicize or promote; praise extravagantly:

   a highly touted nightclub.

3. Horse Racing.
   1. to provide information on (a horse) running in a particular race, especially for a fee.
   2. to spy on (a horse in training) in order to gain information for the purpose of betting.
4. to watch; spy on.

noun

1. a person who persistently solicits business, employment, support, or the like.
2. Horse Racing.
   1. a person who gives information on a horse, especially for a fee.
   2. Chiefly British. a person who spies on a horse in training for the purpose of betting.
3. British. a ticket scalper.

tout

/ taʊt /

verb

1. to solicit (business, customers, etc) or hawk (merchandise), esp in a brazen way
2. intr
   1. to spy on racehorses being trained in order to obtain information for betting purposes
   2. to sell, or attempt to sell, such information or to take bets, esp in public places
3. informal.
   tr to recommend flatteringly or excessively

noun

1. 1. a person who spies on racehorses so as to obtain betting information to sell
   2. a person who sells information obtained by such spying
2. a person who solicits business in a brazen way
3. Also calledticket tout a person who sells tickets unofficially for a heavily booked sporting event, concert, etc, at greatly inflated prices
4. a police informer

Derived Forms

• ˈtouter, noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of tout¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; from Middle English tuten “to look out, peer”; probably akin to Old English tōtian “to peep out”

Word History and Origins

Origin of tout¹

C14 (in the sense: to peer, look out): related to Old English tӯtan to peep out

Example Sentences

This, too, is something the league should tout.

From Los Angeles Times

He and his allies spent tens of millions of dollars during the primary to tout Garvey’s conservative credentials, boosting the former Major League Baseball star into the general election and averting a more expensive and competitive runoff with Democratic Rep. Katie Porter of Irvine.

From Los Angeles Times

On Sunday, Harris traveled to Freddy and Tony’s Restaurant, a casual family-style Puerto Rican eatery in Philadelphia, to tout her “opportunity economy task force for Puerto Rico.”

From Los Angeles Times

The league on Friday also debuted a promotional spot titled “Empire State of California Love,” pulling from both states’ unofficial anthems to tout the postseason games between the two storied franchises.

From Los Angeles Times

Other accounts tout $8 gym memberships and the merits of waiting for sales at fast-fashion clothing stores.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• laud
• praise
• proclaim
• promote
• publicize
• trumpet