▪ I. toot, tote, n.1 local.
(tuːt)
Also 5–9 tout.
[f. toot v.1]
I. 1. An isolated conspicuous hill suitable as a place of observation; a look-out hill; perh. short for toot-hill, q.v. Chiefly s.w.
| 1387 Trevisa Higden (Rolls) III. 85 Temples þat were on groues vppon hiȝe totes [Caxton or hilles], to worschippe mawmetes inne. Ibid. V. 163 Þe eorþe aroos in þe manere of a tote [so MSS. α, β, γ, and Caxton; Camb. MS. tufte]. 1884 D. Clayfield Ireland Let., In the west of England I think ‘fairy toot’ is a tolerably common topographical expression. And there is a curious jagged and pointed hill a few miles from Bristol known as Cleeve toot. 1904 Daily News 15 June 5 In the West of England..‘toot’ signifies hill. 1905 Eng. Dial. Dict., Toot,..a hilly promontory, on which there is a coast-guard watch-station and flag. Mod. (South Dorset) There's one of the preventive-men on the tout. |
† 2. An elevated structure, or part of one, used as a look-out. Obs.
| 1770 Gray Jrnl. in Lakes 12 Oct., I went up a winding stone staircase.., and at the angle is a single hexagon watch⁓tower rising some feet higher, fitted up in the taste of a modern Toot, with sash-windows in gilt frames, and a stucco cupola. 1785 Grose Dict. Vulg. Tongue, Tout, a look out house, or eminence. |
II. 3. A peep or glance. dial.
| 1865 E. Waugh Lanc. Songs (1871) 56 Th' cat pricks up her ears at th' sneck, Wi' mony a leetsome toot. |
4. Comb.: † tote-hole, a hole for spying: cf. tooting-hole (tooting vbl. n.1 b).
| 1561–6 Child-Marriages 113 Lokid in at a tote hole. |
▪ II. toot, n.2
(tuːt)
Also Sc. tout (tuːt).
[f. toot v.2]
An act of tooting; a note or short blast of a horn, trumpet, or other wind instrument. Also fig.
| 1641 D. Ferguson's Scot. Prov. (1785) 7 A new tout in an old horn. 1714 Ramsay Elegy on J. Cowper vi, Fame, Wi' tout of trumpet, Shall tell. 1721 Kelly Scot. Prov. 28 An old Tout in a new Horn. Spoken when we hear (perhaps in other words) what we have heard before. 1765 Boswell in Ramsay Scot. & Scotsm. (1888) I. ii. 172 James has taken a tout on a new horn. 1787 Burns Tam Samson's Elegy 59 Now he proclaims, wi' tout o' trumpet, ‘Tam Samson's dead!’ 1822 Scott Nigel xxvii, It is just a new tout on an auld horn. 1874 D. Macrae Amer. at Home xlii. 327 She gave two ‘toots’ with her steam-pipe. |
b. Reduplicated toot-toot; so toot-tootling.
| 1883 S. C. Hall Retrospect I. 7 How pleasant..the jovial toot-toot of the guard's horn. 1904 M. Corelli God's Good Man xx, With a weird toot-tootling of his horn he guided the car at quite a respectable ambling-donkey pace. 1905 Daily Chron. 19 May 4/7 Of all the noises of London the ‘toot-toot’ of the motor-car is the most hideous. |
▪ III. toot, tout, n.3 Sc. and U.S.
(tuːt)
[f. toot, tout v.3 Tout is Sc. spelling of (tuːt).]
1. An act or fit of tooting; a copious draught.
| 1787 Shirrefs Jamie & Bess i. ii, Were he ay [sober], he then wad ay be kind, But then, anither tout may change his mind. 1816 G. Muir Clydesdale Minstr. 56 (E.D.D.) To your health I'll drink a tout Frae out the whisky gill. 1902 Ogilvie J. Ogilvie 96 (ibid.) Sit doon an' tak a hearty tout. |
2. A drinking match; a drunken fit, a spree (U.S. slang); esp. in the phrase on the toot; hence, a tea-party.
| 1790 Shirrefs Poems Gloss., Tout, a drinking-bout, a drinking match. 1891 Century Mag. Nov. 54 Grubbsy's went off on a toot, and they've got nobody to ride. 1897 Howells Landl. Lion's Head 228 To-day I found him at Mrs. Bevidge's altruistic toot. 1900 Lynch High Stakes xxxii. (Farmer Slang), I'd never 'a' carried 'em..if I 'adn't been on a regular toot for the last week. |
3. Cocaine; a ‘snort’ of cocaine. U.S. slang.
| 1977 Maclean's Mag. 2 May 24 They slink into some of the finer furnished bathrooms of the city for a quick toot. 1978 Detroit Free Press 16 Apr. (Parade Suppl.) 21/1 Cocaine—also called ‘coke’, ‘C’, ‘snow’ and ‘toot’. 1979 Daily News (N.Y.) 23 Sept. 5 Each man dipped a spoon into the white powder and got his toot. 1981 W. Safire in N.Y. Times Mag. 15 Mar. 1981 The familiar ‘to go on a toot’, or to drink heavily and thereby lose a weekend, has been replaced by ‘to blow a toot’, or to inhale a ‘line’ of cocaine. |
▪ IV. toot, n.4 dial. and U.S.
(tuːt)
[Origin obscure.]
1. An idle or worthless person; a simpleton, fool.
| 1888 Harper's Mag. Oct. 801/1 Marsh Yates, the ‘shif'less toot’, and his beautiful, energetic wife. 1889 T. E. Brown Manx Witch, etc. 118 Be off, you brute!..you donkey! you thundh'rin toot! 1894 Hall Caine Manxman 157 Success to the fine girl,..lucky they kept her from the poor toot. |
2. dial. ‘The devil, Linc.’ (Halliw.).
▪ V. toot, n.5
(tuːt)
[Anglicized form of the Maori name tutu.]
a. A shrub or small tree, Coriaria arborea, of New Zealand. It bears shining pulpy black berries containing poisonous seeds, with an action similar to that of strychnine. See also tutu1.
| 1851 E. Ward Jrnl. 18 Feb. (1951) 131 Found poor Novice had taken the ‘toot’ and had been very ill. 1857 R. Wilkin in C. Hursthouse N. Zealand xiii. 372 The plant called ‘tutu’ or ‘toot’..appears to be universal over New Zealand. 1872 Routledge's Ev. Boy's Ann. 40/2 Toot is a poisonous shrub of which cattle are very fond. 1949 F. Sargeson I saw in my Dream 126 There wasn't even any fern, only a few pieces of the tutu which everybody called toot. |
b. to eat (one's) toot: see tutu1 b. N.Z. slang (now Obs. exc. Hist.).
Hence ˈtooted (ppl.) a. = tutued a.; also as pa. pple.
| 1879 in H. Guthrie-Smith Tutira (1921) xvi. 123 Two bullocks dead at Troutbeck's. One ‘tuted’, the other bogged. 1930 L. G. D. Acland Early Canterbury Runs 1st Ser. vii. 169 A travelling showman had the bad luck to get his elephant tooted near the Waitaki. |
▪ VI. ‖ toot, n.6
[Hindī tut.]
The White Mulberry of India (Morus alba).
| 1879 Mrs. A. G. F. E. James Ind. Househ. Managem. 59 Nectarines, plums, tamarinds, toots, bairs, are all more or less grown. 1898 Globe 15 Jan. 1/4 The ‘toot’ is a ridiculous-looking Indian fruit, which some hold to be an excellent corrective of overnight intoxication. |
▪ VII. toot, v.1 Now dial.
(tuːt)
Forms: 1 tótian, 3–4 tōten, 4–7 tote, toote, 5– toot.
[OE. tótian, a word of single occurrence (see quot. c 897), of which ME. tōte, toote, and mod. toot are the regular representatives. OE. had also t{yacu}tan (:—tūtjan) to peep out, become visible, as a star; and ME. had tūten, mod. tout v.1 These indicate two synonymous OE. and OTeut. stems, tôt, and tût-, the relation between which is obscure. See Note below.]
1. intr. To protrude, stick out, ‘peep out’, so as to be seen; in mod. dial., of a plant, to begin to appear above ground.
| c 897 K. ælfred Gregory's Past C. xvi. 104 Se ceac..oferhelede ða oxan ealle, butan þa heafdu totodun ut. c 1394 P. Pl. Crede 425 Wiþ his knopped schon clouted full þykke His ton toteden out as he þe londe treddede. c 1400 Destr. Troy 9540 He was brochit þurgh the body with a big speire, Þat a trunchyn of þe tre tut out behynd. 1519 Four Elements (1905) 38 Now rise up, Master Huddypeke, Your tail toteth out behind. 1593 [see tooting below]. c 1645 [see toting ppl. a.]. 1777 Antiq. in Ann. Reg. 149/2 When pease in Derbyshire first appear they are said to toot. 1808–18 Jamieson, Tute, to jut out, to project. [North of Sc.] c 1880 Northampt. Dial., I can just see the taters tooting out of the ground. |
2. intr. To peep, peer, look out; to gaze; = tout v.1 1.
| a 1225 Ancr. R. 52 Is hit nu so ouer vuel uor to toten [MS. T. lokin] utward? Auh toten vt wiðuten vuel ne mei nouðer of ou. c 1300 Havelok 2106 He stod, and totede in at a bord. 1377 Langl. P. Pl. B. xvi. 22 Pieres þe plowman..bad me toten on þe tree. c 1400 Destr. Troy 862 Sho went vp..To the toppe of a toure, & tot ouer the water For to loke on hir luffe. 1529 More Dyaloge iii. Wks. 225/1 Into the one [wallet]..he putteth other folkes faultes, and therein he toteth and poreth often. 1553 Bradford Serm. Repent. (1574) D ij b, Get thee Gods law as a glas to toote in. 1603 Sir C. Heydon Jud. Astrol. iv. 140 While the Astrologer tooteth vpward, and examineth in what signe is the Moone. 1884 Doherty N. Barlow iv. 27 Let cheeky folk as come wi' stools to toot Sit theer an' stare. |
b. To look inquisitively; to pry.
| 1390 Gower Conf. III. 29 Riht so doth he, whan that he pireth And toteth on hire wommanhiede. 1546 J. Heywood Prov. (1867) 57 On my maydes he is euer tootyng. 1550 Latimer Serm. Stamford i. B ij b, Those obseruauntes were spyinge, totynge, and lookynge, watchynge and catchinge what they myghte heare or se against the sea of Rome. 1579 Spenser Sheph. Cal. Mar. 66 With bowe and bolts..For birds in bushes tooting. 1593 B. Rich Greenes Newes E iij b, One..who was walking by himselfe, prying and tooting in every corner. 1597–8 Bp. Hall Sat. iv. ii. 45 Nor toot in Cheapside baskets earne and late To set the first tooth in some nouell-cate. 1829 in Hunter Hallamshire Gloss. 1888 Sheffield Gloss., Toot, to pry into anything. |
† c. trans. To peep or look at; to behold, view.
| c 1200 Trin. Coll. Hom. 211 Ech man þe þerto cumeð pleie to toten, oðer to listen, oðer to bihelden. c 1394 P. Pl. Crede 142 Whow myȝt-tou in thine broþer eiȝe a bare mote loken, And in þyn owen eiȝe nouȝt a bem toten. Ibid. 219 Þanne turned y aȝen, whan y hade all y-toted. |
Hence ˈtooting ppl. a.1, in 3 totinde, looking out, peeping, prying, spying; protruding, sprouting.
| a 1225 Ancr. R. 50 Vor nabbe ȝe nout þene nome..of totinde ancres. 1593 Tell-troth's N.Y. Gift (1876) 33 If there be any that hath a tooting head [of ‘horns’], and would not haue it sene, let him keepe it secretely to himselfe. c 1645–1676 [see toting ppl. a.]. |
[Note. Words app. connected with OE. tótian, t{yacu}tan, ME. tōte, tūte, mod. toot, tout, are Du. tuit spout, snout, MDu. tûte nipple, pap, early mod.Du. (Kilian) tote, tuyte horn, apex, cone, also tote nipple, teat, LG. tote, point, teat; also MLG. tûte horn, funnel, LG. tûte, tût spout, EFris. tûte pipe, spout, snout. Cf. also ON. t{uacu}ta ‘teat-like prominence’ (Vigf.), tota teat, toe of a shoe, Norw. dial. tota something projecting, as a spout; Da. tud spout of a cask, Sw. tut, mod.Norw. tût also snout, horn; with many other derivatives all pointing to an original sense of something projecting or sticking out. Except Norw. tyte, ‘to trickle or ooze out’, the verbs appear only in Eng., where also the special sense of ‘look or peep out’ has been developed.]
▪ VIII. toot, v.2
(tuːt)
Also 6 tute, 6–7 tote, toote; 6 towt, 6, 7–9 Sc. tout.
[Known only from c 1510. Cf. MLG., LG. tûten, also Ger. tuten, Du. tuyten, toeten to blow a horn; perh. originally echoic, imitating the sound of a horn, etc. Not related to ON. þjóta to blow a horn, whistle (see theoten, in Ormin þūtenn, to howl); the Norw. tûta, Sw. tūta, Da. tūde, in same sense, are perh. influenced by LG., whence also the Eng. may have been taken.]
I. intr.
1. Of a person: To sound or blow a horn or similar wind instrument. Also with extensions, to toot it, to toot on, toot along, toot one's way, etc.
| 1549 Chaloner tr. Erasmus' Moriæ Enc. H j b, That foule musike, whiche a horne maketh, being touted in. 1570 Levins Manip. 196/4 To Tute in a horne, cornucinère. 1693 J. H. tr. Juvenal's Sat. x. 4 See here a Troop of Horn⁓pipes toot along. 1698 Fryer Acc. E. India & P. 108 Tooting with their Trumpets, and beating with their Drums. 1707 E. Ward Hud. Rediv. II. vi. vi. 7 These led the Van, each crown'd with Feather Tooting harmoniously together. 1709 Mrs. Manley Secret Mem. I. 149 A great many of 'em..can toot, toot, toot, it upon a Pipe. 1880 Spurgeon J. Ploughm. Pict. 29 We can all toot a little on our own trumpet. 1903 Daily Chron. 11 Nov. 4/5 The motor-car..tooting its way through London. |
2. Of a wind-instrument: To give forth its characteristic sound; to sound.
| c 1510 Kalender of Sheph. li. M vij b, Take hede of my horne, totynge al alowde. 1595 Morley 1st Bk. Ballets xi. C iij b, While as the Bagpipe tooted it. a 1800 Lord Barnaby xiii. in Child Ballads II. 250/2 O lady, I heard a wee horn toot, And it blew wonder clear. 1894 Daily News 12 Mar. 2/1 The guard's long tapering horn never toots more merrily. |
3. Of an animal: To make a sound likened to that of a horn, etc.; to trumpet as an elephant, bray as an ass; spec. of grouse, to ‘call’.
| 1817 Cobbett Wks. XXXII. 10 The trick answered very well 'till the Ass began to bray, or toot. a 1835 Hogg Ringan & May 39 The storm-cock touts on his towering pine. 1877 Hallock Sportsman's Gazetteer 119 The ‘tooting’ is the call of the male bird. Ibid. 124 The (pinnated) Grouse in the spring commences about April to ‘toot’, and can be heard nearly a mile. 1890 Century Mag. Feb. 613/1 The elephants..raised their trunks, and tooted as no locomotive could toot. |
b. Said of a person, esp. a child: see quots.
| 1808–18 Jamieson, Toot, to make a plaintive noise, as when a child cries loud or mournfully. 1847–78 Halliwell Toot, to whine or cry. |
II. trans.
4. To cause (a horn, etc.) to sound by blowing it. Also transf. of an animal.
| 1682 Fountainhall Decis. (1759) I. 182 Suffering Brown then preaching and praying, to be affronted by boys, who touted horns. 1841 Faraday in B. Jones Life (1870) II. 131 At the call of the goat-herd, who tooted a cow's horn. 1890 Century Mag. Feb. 613/2 The elephant..tooting his trumpet as though in great fright. 1899 Daily Graphic 19 Aug. 7 The Monmouth's whistle was tooted vigorously, and the passengers crowded her rail. |
5. To sound (notes, a tune, etc.) on a horn, pipe, or the like.
| 1614 W. Browne Sheph. Pipe ii. C vij b, He..That sits on yonder hill, And tooteth out his notes of glee. c 1662 F. Sempill On Birth Princess Mary, But let those brosie pack tout on..They'll tout anuther tune I true. 1842 Barham Ingol. Leg. Ser. ii. St. Aloys, With eight Trumpeters tooting the Dead March in Saul. |
6. To call out aloud, to shout (something).
| 1582 Stanyhurst æneis iv. (Arb.) 107, In this eare hee towted thee speeche. 1653 Urquhart Rabelais ii. xx. 143 They to toote, Draw, give (page) some wine here reach hither. 1756 M. Calderwood in Coltness Collect. (Maitl. Club) 249 You will see them [beggars] standing at a door, and touting a Pater noster through the key-hole. |
b. To proclaim loudly; to trumpet abroad. Sc.
| a 1810 Tannahill Poems (1846) 57 Ilk rising generation toots his fame, And hun'er years to come, 'twill be the same. 1887 Service Dr. Duguid iii. iv. 258 There were plenty to carry the news... It was tootit owre a' the kintra-side. |
▪ IX. toot, tout, v.3 Sc. and U.S.
(tuːt)
[In Sc. tout (tuːt), in Anglicized spelling toot. Of obscure origin, perh. orig. thieves' cant. Cf. Sw. (vulgar or familiar) tūta to drink grog; but this is perh. from Eng.]
1. intr. ‘To drink copiously; to take a large draught’ (Jam.).
| 1676, a 1700 [see tooting below]. a 1774 R. Fergusson Drink Ecl. 64 At thee they toot, an' never spear my price. 1813 A. Cunningham Songs 7 She sat singing..And touting at the rosie wine. |
2. trans. ‘To empty the vessel from which one drinks, to drink its whole contents’ (Jam.). Const. off, out, up.
| a 1774 R. Fergusson Leith Races xiii, They'll ban fu' sair the time That e'er they toutit aff the horn. 1788 G. Turnbull Poet. Ess. 199 He leugh and toutit up the liquor Out ilka drap. 1811 C. Gray in Whitelaw Bk. Scot. Song 260 'Tis sweet to tout the glasses out. |
3. intr. To go on a spree; to make a night of it. U.S.
| 1890 Gunter Miss Nobody xvii, Spreeing, gaming, and tooting all night. |
4. trans. To inhale (cocaine). U.S. slang.
| 1975 High Times Dec. 110/2 Counterculture advocates of cocaine sniffing now have public confirmation of what they've known for a long time: the chief drawbacks to tooting coke are high costs and the law. 1979 Ibid. Jan. 52 You'll feel better knowing that what you toot is cut with the original Italian Mannite Conoscenti. |
Hence ˈtooting, ˈtouting vbl. n.3, drinking, toping; in † touting-ken (obs. slang), a drinking-house.
| 1676 Coles Dict., Touting-ken, tavern-bar. a 1700 B. E. Dict. Cant. Crew, Touting-ken, a Tavern or Ale-house Bar. |
▪ X. toot, too't, to't
coalesced form of to it.
| 1596 Shakes. Tam. Shr. i. ii. 195 Too't a Gods name. 1605 Chapman All Fooles Plays 1873 I. 170, I will not set my hand toot. 1607 Shakes. Timon iii. vi. 37 We shall too't presently. 1828 in Craven Gloss. |
▪ XI. toot, toots
Sc. forms of tut, tuts interj.