spout

1 of 2

verb

spouted; spouting; spouts

transitive verb

1
: to eject (liquid) in a stream
wells spouting oil
2
a
: to speak or utter readily, volubly, and at length
b
: to speak or utter in a pompous or oratorical manner : declaim
a candidate spouting empty promises

intransitive verb

1
: to issue with force or in a jet : spurt
2
: to eject material (such as liquid) in a jet
3
spouter noun

spout

2 of 2

noun

1
: a pipe or conductor through which a liquid is discharged or conveyed in a stream: such as
a
: a pipe for carrying rainwater from a roof
b
: a projecting tube or lip from which a liquid (such as water) issues
2
: a discharge or jet of liquid or moisture from or as if from a pipe: such as
b
: the blowing of a whale
3
archaic : pawnshop
spouted adjective

Examples of spout in a Sentence

Verb The well was spouting oil. She kept spouting on and on about politics. Noun Water was flowing from the spout. the spout of a tea kettle
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
The judge can’t just let attorneys spout off about legal interpretations that lack proper and sufficient foundation. Lance Eliot, Forbes, 19 Feb. 2024 But on the second day of class this winter, internet trolls spouting alt-right and transphobic language raided those channels, flooding them with images of gore. Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 17 Jan. 2024 In the comments, people have expressed respect for Ross and spouted anger at a country that forces people to work through injuries to make ends meet. Theresa Vargas, Washington Post, 6 Jan. 2024 David [Brown], who played Todd with the chair pants and all of that, just his level of conviction and commitment to that character and being able to spout off all of this gobbledygook nonsense about his inventions — none of that was written. James Marsden Published, EW.com, 14 Dec. 2023 Cyrus is a 20-something man shaking off years of drinking and drugging by spouting words. Mark Athitakis, Los Angeles Times, 22 Jan. 2024 So, why did the most talented quarterback of his generation lose the plot and book himself a weekly gig spouting conspiracy theories on a cheap sports talk show hosted by a guy wearing a black tank top? Corbin Smith, Rolling Stone, 13 Jan. 2024 His goal was to find out what role CSAM may play in the training process of AI models powering the image generators spouting this illicit content. Ashley Belanger, Ars Technica, 20 Dec. 2023 People are stabbed, shot and sliced, with spouting, pooling blood. Common Sense Media, Washington Post, 12 Jan. 2024
Noun
Generally, sip-friendly blenders are likely to include a lid with sipping spout or even a reusable straw for added convenience. Brittany Vanderbill, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 Feb. 2024 This version from The Pioneer Woman has a beautiful floral design that will stand out in any kitchen setting, and the non-drip spouts make pouring a mess-free breeze. Rachel Trujillo, Southern Living, 23 Feb. 2024 Up to an inch of rain could fall in an hour, with a 20% chance of thunderstorms and risk of water spouts, dangerous wind gusts and even tornadoes. Harriet Ryan, Los Angeles Times, 20 Feb. 2024 When eating out, be sure to ask that no raw spouts be added to your food. Cnn.com Wire Service, The Mercury News, 8 Feb. 2024 Keep the spout clean: After pouring milk, wipe the cap and opening to prevent residue buildup, which can harbor bacteria that’s transferred inside the bottle. Ali Francis, Bon Appétit, 12 Feb. 2024 There was buildup surrounding the soda spouts of soda machines. Jacqueline Pinedo, Sacramento Bee, 9 Feb. 2024 Another model, just to the right of Graves’, uses a trigger on the handle to uncover the spout. Charlotte Observer, 30 Jan. 2024 The spout is carefully angled to give you complete control of the flow, and the one-touch boil button will get your water to the perfect temperature in just four minutes. Wendy Vazquez, Southern Living, 26 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'spout.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English; akin to Middle Dutch spoiten to spout, Old English spīwan to spew

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of spout was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near spout

Cite this Entry

“Spout.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spout. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

spout

1 of 2 verb
1
: to shoot (as liquid) out with force
wells spouting oil
2
: to speak with a long and quick flow of words so as to sound important
3
: to flow out with force : spurt
blood spouted from the wound
spouter noun

spout

2 of 2 noun
1
: a tube, pipe, or hole through which something (as rainwater) spouts
2
: a sudden strong stream of fluid

More from Merriam-Webster on spout

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