shout

Etymology 1

From Middle English shouten. Further origin uncertain. Possibly related to Middle English shooten (“to shoot (out)”) or from or akin to Old Norse skúta (“to chide, scold”), Old Norse skúti, skúta (“a taunt”). See also the second, rare sense of the verb scout (“to reject with contempt”).

noun

1. A loud burst of voice or voices; a violent and sudden outcry, especially that of a multitude expressing joy, triumph, exultation, anger, or great effort.
   give out a shout
   hear a desperate shout
   an ear-piercing shout
2. (UK, Australia, New Zealand, slang) A round of drinks in a pub; the turn to pay the shot or scot; an act of paying for a round of drinks.
   “I′ll get my wine though,” taking out her wallet. “No. This is my shout,” holding up his hand as though to ward her money off. 1984, Keri Hulme, The Bone People, page 290
   Cut to the pub on a lads night out, Man at the bar cos it was his shout 2006, Lily Allen, Knock 'Em Out
   2008, George Papaellinas, The Trip: An Odyssey, re.press, Australia, page 6, It was always my shout down the pub with Theo.
3. (UK, Australia, slang) A call-out for an emergency services team.
   Yet another ambulance on a shout enters Parliament Square. 2017, Dave Boulter, London's Emergency Service Vehicles
4. (informal) A greeting, name-check or other mention, for example on a radio or TV programme.
   Next up the new single from Beyoncé, but first a shout to Barry Bloggins and his wife Belinda...
5. (informal) A suggestion; an idea.
   Yeah, good shout. We might get an idea of what we're up against before we park up and do business. 1998, Eddy Brimson, Hooligan, page 180
   You're bored, you decide to get a tattoo. Maybe you really like chimps. You sit down with your tattoo artist. Just the chimp, sir? No, hang on. Can you do a chimp, but in a suit? Yeah, nice shout, what about sticking a pair of glasses on him too? Love it, let's have him holding a gun as well. Hold on, will he be allowed a gun if he's short-sighted? Good question, but let's not forget the bigger issue here: he's a monkey. 2018-09-06, Peter Crouch, How to Be a Footballer, Random House
   'I could do with a nap myself,' Hope said, trying unsuccessfully to hide a 'There's something about the sea air that wears you out, isn't there?' Will nodded. 'That's why I suggested we pick up the coffees. I might regret it at bedtime but for now I'd rather be wired than weary.' Hope took a sip of her latte and reached for the radio controls. 'Good shout. I'll see if I can nd us some tunes to listen to.' They chatted as the miles passed,[…] 2021-07-01, Holly Hepburn, The Little Shop of Hidden Treasures Part Two: Secret Loves, Simon and Schuster
   “I...had a nap,” I said. “Good shout. Got to be strategic about these things. Jess went for a nap a couple of hours ago but hasn't resurfaced, so I think she's failed again this year.” I blinked. I didn't know what to say to him. “So, no one else make it?” 2022-03-01, Alice Oseman, Loveless, Scholastic Inc.
   "Just tell him you're not ready." She twists her mouth and looks at the card again. "To tell you the truth, I don't think I'll ever be ready. […]" I think for a moment. "Well, you could always say that romance is distracting you from your . . . your craft." She nods, considering this. “That's not a bad shout.” “Or you could break up with him.” She smiles and looks at the ground. “That's not a bad shout, either.” At that moment, there's a knock on the cupboard door, and I get up to answer it. 2022-05-03, Caroline O'Donoghue, All Our Hidden Gifts, Candlewick Press, page 38

verb

1. (intransitive) To utter a sudden and loud cry, as in joy, triumph, exultation or anger, or to attract attention, to animate others, etc.
   "I decided to do it [stand for election] because I'd been interested in politics for a long time and, like lots of people, had spent a lot of time shouting at the radio. June 3 2020, Lilian Greenwood talks to Paul Stephen, “Rail's 'underlying challenges' remain”, in Rail, page 31
2. (transitive) To utter with a shout; to cry; to shout out
   They shouted his name to get his attention.
3. (Australia, New Zealand, slang) To pay for food, drink or entertainment for others.
   After shouting me a plate of noodles and limp vegetables, he helped me change money by introducing me to the stallholder who offered the best exchange rates. 1999, Peter Moore, The Wrong Way Home: London to Sydney the Hard Way, page 301
   2003, Peter Watt, To Chase the Storm, Pan MacMillan Australia, unnumbered page, ‘I have not seen my cousin Patrick in years,’ Martin answered defensively. ‘I doubt that, considering the way our lives have gone, an officer of the King′s army would be shouting me a drink in Mr O′Riley′s pub these days. […] ’
   Anyhow, he obviously bore no grudge against Kiwis, for he shouted me a beer and opened another one for himself, punctuating the operation with a spectacular and resounding fart that by all the laws of physical science should have left his trousers flapping in smouldering shreds. 2005, George G. Spearing, Dances with Marmots: A Pacific Crest Trail Adventure, page 32
   2010, Ivan Dunn, The Legend of Beau Baxter, HarperCollins Publishers, New Zealand, unnumbered page, Truth is, I notice the other blokes who have been shouting me nodding among themselves and thinking they′d better get in the queue if I am buying. Not likely. I am out of there.
4. (Internet) To post a text message (for example, email) in upper case, regarded as the electronic messaging equivalent of oral shouting.
   Please don't shout in the chat room.
5. (transitive, obsolete) To treat with shouts or clamor.

Etymology 2

noun

1. (UK, dialect) A light flat-bottomed boat used in duck-shooting.