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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 2001 (DOST Vol. IX).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Spout, v.¹ Also: spowt, sput. [ME and e.m.E. spout (Manning), spowt (Trevisa), spoute (c1440), MDu. spouten, OFlem. spuyten.]

1. intr. To discharge liquid forcefully or copiously. a1450 Fifteen Ois 96.
Quhen Thi innomes … spitting in thy face couth spout 1560 Rolland Seven S. 5434.
Wemen … Quhen thay ar noyit … spout than like ane scorpioun a1568 Bann. MS 139b/10.
Sum of vlly spewis ane quairt … Bot he keipis weill his kewis Spowttis in his marrowis nek 1665–7 Lauder Jrnl. 15.
At Synaille a great number of waterworks … heir ye may sy a frog sputing to a great hieght

b. Of liquids: To issue forcefully or copiously. c1500-c1512 Dunb. (STS) lxiii 86.
I man … lat the venim ische all out, Be war, anone, for it will spout 1513 Doug. iii vi 129.
Quhar, in hir bowkit bysme … The large fludis suppys thrys in a swelch And othir quhilis spowtis in the ayr agane, Dryvand the stowr to the starnys 1513 Doug. iii viii 118.
Thrys the fame furth spowt, that so hie quhirlyt It semyt watir the starnys 1611-57 Mure Dido & Æneas ii 478.
Adoune his shoulders raging spates do spowt

2. tr. To discharge (liquid, fire, etc.) forcefully or copiously. Also fig. or in fig. context. Also const. out. 1460 Hay Alex. 2963.
As ane dragon als scho spoutit fyre 1513 Doug. v iv 42.
To se hym spowt salt watir of hys throte 1513 Doug. viii x 58.
The … helm … spowtand the fyre [L. flammasque vomentem] thik fald 1531 Bell. Boece I cix.
Piping … spoutis swete venome in thair eris 1596 Dalr. I 44/20.
The land … into the mane sey spoutis out thir v fludes, the Nesse [etc.] 1596 Dalr. II 401/24.
Nouther left thair … barbaritie, quhil out tha spoutit it vpon the Carmelitis [etc.] 1662 Crim. Trials III 603.
He marked me in the showlder and suked owt my blood at that mark, and spowted it in his hand