lout

• IPA^(key): /laʊt/
• (Canada) IPA^(key): /lʌʊt/

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• Rhymes: -aʊt

Of dialectal origin, likely from Middle English louten (“to bow, bend low, stoop over”) from Old English lutan from Proto-Germanic *leut-. Cognate with Old Norse lútr (“stooping”), Gothic 𐌻𐌿𐍄𐍉𐌽 (lutōn, “to deceive”). Non-Germanic cognates are probably Old Church Slavonic лоудити (luditi, “to deceive”)[1], Serbo-Croatian луд (lud) and Albanian lut (“to beg, pray”).

lout (plural louts)

1. A troublemaker, often violent; a rude violent person; a yob.
   • 1906, Stanley J[ohn] Weyman, chapter I, in Chippinge Borough, New York, N.Y.: McClure, Phillips & Co., OCLC 580270828, page 01:

     But the lout looked only to his market, and was not easily repulsed. ¶ "He's there, I tell you," he persisted. "And for threepence I'll get you to see him. Come on, your honour! It's many a Westminster election I've seen, and beer running, from Mr. Fox, […] when maybe it's your honour's going to stand! Anyway, it's, Down with the mongers!"

   • 1934, George Orwell, Burmese Days:

     You see louts fresh from school kicking grey-haired servants.

2. A clownish, awkward fellow; a bumpkin.
   • c. 1570–1586, Sidney, Sir Philip, “Book I”, in The Countess of Pembroke's Arcadia:

     The fair Pamela, whose noble heart I find doth greatly disdain, that the trust of her virtue is reposed in such a lout's hands, as Dametas, had yet, to shew an obedience, taken on shepherdish apparel […]

   • c. 1589–1593, Shakespeare, William, The Two Gentlemen of Verona, Act 4, Scene 4:

     Sebastian, I have entertained thee, / Partly that I have need of such a youth / That can with some discretion do my business, / For 'tis no trusting to yond foolish lout;

• (troublemaker): see Thesaurus:troublemaker
• (clownish, awkward fellow): see Thesaurus:bumpkin

• lager lout
• Lycra lout
• Saga lout

lout (third-person singular simple present louts, present participle louting, simple past and past participle louted)

1. (obsolete, transitive) To treat as a lout or fool; to neglect; to disappoint.
   • 1591, Shakespeare, William, Henry VI, Part 1, Act 4, Scene 3:

     Renowned Talbot doth expect my aid, / And I am louted by a traitor villain / And cannot help the noble chevalier.

From Middle English louten, from Old English lūtan, from Proto-Germanic *lūtaną. Cognate with Old Norse lúta, Danish lude (“to bend”), Norwegian lute (“stoop”), Swedish luta.

lout (third-person singular simple present louts, present participle louting, simple past and past participle louted)

1. (intransitive, archaic) To bend, bow, stoop.
   • 1590, Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene, I.i:

     He faire the knight saluted, louting low, / Who faire him quited, as that courteous was [...].

   • 1885, Sir Richard Burton, The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, vol. 1:

     He took the cup in his hand and, louting low, returned his best thanks [...].

• tolu, ulto