outing, vbl. n.
(ˈaʊtɪŋ)
[f. out v. + -ing1.]
† 1. The action of going out or forth; an expedition.
| 1375 Barbour Bruce xix. 620 The Erll sperit at hym tithing How he had farn in his outyng. |
2. The action of putting or driving out; expulsion; ousting. Now rare or Obs.
| c 1440 Promp. Parv. 375/2 Owtynge, or a-woydaunce, evacuacio, deliberacio. 1639 Laud Wks. (1849) II. 348 Salvation need not be feared of any dutiful child, nor outing from the church. 1679 Connect. Col. Rec. (1859) III. 273 To pursue the outing of the Rohd Islanders from ye Narrogancett Country. 1692 R. L'Estrange Josephus, Antiq. xv. xv. (1733) 446 Doing all that was to be done..towards the outing of him again, and engrossing the Power to himself. |
3. Cricket. The position of being kept ‘out’: see out adv. 19 c.
| 1849 Bell's Life in London 30 Sept. 6/2, I Zingari averages, 1849. Results with bat and ball... Innings... Runs... Outings... Bowled. 1897 Daily News 8 June 8/4 The Philadelphians bore their long outing very well, the fielding being sustained at a fairly good pitch of excellence. |
4. a. An airing, excursion, pleasure-trip. orig. dial.
| 1821 Clare Vill. Minstr. I. 42 The long rural string of merry games, That at such outings maketh much ado. 1825 Brockett N.C. Gloss., Outing, an airing, going from home. 1855 Robinson Whitby Gloss. s.v., ‘A bit of an outing’, a short journey or pleasure-trip. 1857 Mrs. Carlyle Lett. II. 326 Another week at Sunny Bank will make as much ‘outing’ as should suffice for this year. 1861 Sat. Rev. XII. 432/2 They have had, we repeat, their outing. The word may not be found in Richardson or Webster, or, indeed, anywhere within the pale of lexicon orthodoxy, but we are prepared to justify the use of it notwithstanding. 1886 Illustr. Lond. News 8 May 489/3 She could not afford two outings in the year. |
b. An appearance in an athletic contest, race, etc.
| 1943 Sun (Baltimore) 22 Apr. 18/1 Benefitting from a previous outing at the meeting, Mrs. Ray Feinberg's Charge, ridden by Danny Scocca, closed fast. 1976 J. Snow Cricket Rebel 29 Any young cricketer brought into the traditional twelve for his first Test outing could expect a back page headline in the national newspapers. 1976 Evening Times (Glasgow) 30 Nov., Bula, although only once successful in three outings so far this season, is my confident choice to register a repeat victory at Haydock Park. |
5. (See quot.)
| 1844 Jrnl. R. Agric. Soc. V. i. 29 Not to turn over the swarths, but..to leave them upon what is termed the outing, made at the commencement of the preceding swarth by the mower putting his scythe in a sloping direction downwards. |
6. The distance out at sea, etc.
| 1883 Cent. Mag. Dec. 201/2 Beyond this,..in the farthest outing, hill-crowned islands. 1896 Horne Countryside 10 (E.D.D.) In the outing furious waves fight and plunge. |
7. attrib. (from 4), as outing-dress, outing-hat, outing-trip; outing flannel U.S., a type of flannelette; also attrib.
| 1890 Adt. (Schairer & Millen, Ann Arbor), 15 pieces new stripe outing flannels, 15 cent quality, now 10 cents. 1897 Howells Landl. Lion's Head 11 In the outing dress he wore..he was always effective. 1897 Sears, Roebuck Catal. 258/3 Outing flannel. This flannel is suitable for ladies' wrappers, waists, night robes, childrens' cloaks, also men's and boys' shirts and night shirts. 1899 Boston Even. Transcr. 22 Apr. 23/6 A few of these outing hats are..rather elaborately finished by ribbon loops and aigrettes. 1916 Daily Colonist (Victoria, B.C.) 9 July 3/6 (Advt.), New awning stripe outing skirts. Ibid. 22 July 2/1 (Advt.), Take a Camera Wherever You Go. What is more delightful than having pictures of outing parties, picnics, scenery, etc.? 1925 T. Dreiser Amer. Tragedy (1926) I. ii. xv. 262 He was pleased by the..summery appearance he made in an outing shirt and canvas shoes. 1938 M. K. Rawlings Yearling v. 51 The gray fur was as soft as his mother's outing flannel nightgown. 1967 Boston Sunday Herald 14 May ii. 17/2 Every summer its members provide rafts and guides for vacationing familes, outing groups, and student expeditions. |