Spout Meaning
/spaʊt/Definition, CEFR level B2, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
Listen pronunciation
Definition
nounA tube or lip through which liquid or steam is poured or discharged.
nounA waterspout (“channel through which water is discharged, especially from the gutters of a roof”).
Sentence Examples
You must replace the cracked faucet spout.
You must align the faucet spout with the sink drain.
CEFR Practice Quiz
The whale's blowhole can ____ a powerful stream of water into the air when it breathes.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
Water poured out of the tea kettle's ____ as soon as the small whistle began to sound loudly.
Word Origin & History
From Middle English spouten, from Middle Dutch spoiten, spouten (> Dutch spuiten (“to spout”)), from Old Dutch *spūten, *spīuten, *spīwetten, from Proto-West Germanic *spīwattjan, from Proto-Germanic *spīwatjaną. Compare Swedish spruta (“squirt, syringe”). See also spit, spew.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"A spout of blood flew from his mouth, spattering Smichov's linen trousers."
— 2010, James Fleming, Cold Blood, page 160:
"[…] the river rushes over the Auchinlilie Lin or Spout, a tremendous chataract^([sic]); after which it proceeds in a more quiet course, and is navigable to the village of Carron Shore."
— 1805, Robert Forsyth, The Beauties of Scotland: Containing a Clear and Full Account of the Agriculture, Commerce, Mines, and Manufactures; of the Population, Cities, Towns, Villages, &c. of Each County ..., page 388:
"The Spout of Garnock is a wild and romantic waterfall upon that stream in the moors of Kilbirnie parish. The rock here is also porphyry. The porphyry upon the east side of the fall is much rent, and has fallen forward[…]"
— 1839, Royal Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland, Edinburgh, Prize-essays and Transactions of the Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland, page 434:
"[…] a streamlet made a little spout over some stones to serve me for a water-tap."
— 1895, Robert Louis Stevenson, An Inland Voyage: Travels with a Donkey [in the Cévennes], page 219:
"[…] you can follow a footpath from the fine Victorian Mallyan Spout Hotel to the national park's most famous waterfalls – the 80ft-high Mallyan Spout. When you get to the beck, turn left, and the waterfall is a couple of hundred yards along the bank; it can be wet underfoot[…]"
— 2015 April 1, Jos Simon, The Rough Guide to Yorkshire, Rough Guides UK, →ISBN, page 245:
Explore More B2 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The whale's blowhole can ____ a powerful stream of water into the air when it breathes.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
Water poured out of the tea kettle's ____ as soon as the small whistle began to sound loudly.