tout: [14] The etymological notion underlying tout is of ‘sticking out, projecting’. It goes back ultimately to the prehistoric Germanic base *tūt- ‘project’, whose other descendants include Dutch tuit ‘spout’. It is assumed to have produced an Old English *tūtian, but it does not turn up in the written record until the Middle English period, by which time the notion of ‘poking out’ had moved on to ‘peeking’ or ‘peeping’. It progressed further to ‘spy on’, but the modern ‘look for business’ did not emerge until the 18th century.
tout (v.)
1700, thieves' cant, "to act as a lookout, spy on," from Middle English tuten "to peep, peer," probably from a variant of Old English totian "to stick out, peep, peer," from Proto-Germanic *tut- "project" (cognates: Dutch tuit "sprout, snout," Middle Dutch tute "nipple, pap," Middle Low German tute "horn, funnel," Old Norse tota "teat, toe of a shoe"). The sense developed to "look out for jobs, votes, customers, etc., to try to get them" (1731), then "praise highly in an attempt to sell" (1920). Related: Touted; touting.
双语例句
1. He visited Thailand and Singapore to tout for investment.
他访问了泰国与新加坡，以期招揽投资。
来自柯林斯例句
2. Minicabs are not allowed to tout for hire on the streets.
小型出租车禁止在街上兜揽生意。
来自柯林斯例句
3. It was a lie, tout court.
那只不过是谎言。
来自《权威词典》
4. He called me Jones tout court.
他简单地叫我琼斯.
来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
5. Ils ne touchaient plus ce sujet de tout 1'apr è s - midi.