scout
to go to different places and look carefully because you want to find something or someone
To move around and look carefully in one or more places in order to find something or someone, especially in preparation for a later activity.
a person who looks for good new players, artists, or workers for a team or company
A person whose job is to find and assess talented people, especially athletes, performers, or other specialists, for a team, company, or organization.
a young person who is in the Scouts group, such as a Boy Scout or Girl Scout
A boy or girl, usually a child or teenager, who belongs to the Scouts, a youth organization that teaches outdoor skills, teamwork, and good citizenship.
a person who goes in front of a group, often in the army, to see what is there and bring back information
A soldier or other person who is sent ahead of the main group to gather information about an enemy, the land, or other conditions.
to look for good new players, artists, or workers for a team or company
To look for and evaluate talented people, especially athletes or performers, who might be suitable for a team, company, or other organization.
a short, quick look in a place to see what you can find
An informal term for a quick search of an area to see what is there or to find something.
to say very strongly that an idea or offer is foolish or not worth respect (old or literary use)
To reject, dismiss, or treat something with open scorn or contempt.
- Base: scout
- Plural: scouts
- Base: scout
- 3rd Person Singular: scouts
- Present Participle: scouting
- Past: scouted
Boy Scout
1Male member of Boy Scouts
a boy or young man who is in the Boy Scouts group
- He has been a Boy Scout since elementary school.
- The Boy Scouts helped clean up the park on Saturday.
Cub Scout
1Young junior Scout member
a young child, usually a boy, who is in a junior group of the Scouts
- He started as a Cub Scout when he was seven.
- The Cub Scouts went on a short hike with their leaders.
Eagle Scout
1Highest Boy Scout rank (US)
the highest level a Boy Scout can reach in the United States
- He became an Eagle Scout after completing a big service project.
- Many employers are impressed when they see Eagle Scout on a résumé.
Girl Scout
1Female member of Girl Scouts
a girl or young woman who is in the Girl Scouts group
- The Girl Scouts are selling cookies outside the supermarket.
- Her daughter became a Girl Scout to learn camping skills.
good scout
1Kind and reliable person
a person who is nice, helpful, and can be trusted (old-fashioned)
- Thanks for helping me move, you’re a good scout.
- He’s a good scout and is always ready to lend a hand.
location scout
1Person who finds filming locations
a person who looks for good places to use in films, TV shows, or photos
- The location scout spent days driving around the countryside.
- As a location scout, she’s always searching for unusual buildings and streets.
scout around
1Look in different places for something
to go to different places and look because you want to find something, but you have not chosen exactly what yet
- We’ll scout around for a cheaper hotel later.
- I’ve been scouting around for a used car in good condition.
- Let’s scout around before we decide which gym to join.
Scout camp
1Camp organized for Scouts
a camp where Scouts stay together and do activities, often in nature
- She met many new friends at Scout camp.
- The troop is raising money for Scout camp this summer.
scout for
1Search to find a particular type
to look carefully because you want to find a certain kind of person or thing
- The agency is scouting for fresh talent this season.
- They’re scouting for a new office location downtown.
- We’re scouting for volunteers to help with the festival.
Scout leader
1Adult who leads Scouts group
an adult who is responsible for a group of Scouts and plans their activities
- Our Scout leader organized a weekend camping trip.
- The Scout leaders met to plan the year’s program.
scout out
1Check or search a place in advance
to go and look at a place carefully before you use it, so you can find something or see if it is good
- We need to scout out a good venue for the conference.
- Could you scout out some restaurants for the team dinner?
- They spent the weekend scouting out locations for the film.
Scout troop
1Local Scouts group
a group of Scouts from the same area who meet regularly
- Her Scout troop meets every Thursday evening.
- The two Scout troops joined together for a big campfire.
Scout's honor
1Promise that you are telling the truth
an expression used to say very strongly that you are telling the truth
- I didn’t touch your phone, Scout’s honor.
- Scout’s honor, I’ll have the report finished by tomorrow.
talent scout
1Person who finds skilled people
A person whose job is to look for people with special skills, especially in sports or entertainment.
- A talent scout noticed him playing football and offered him a trial.
- A talent scout spotted her at a local show.
- The band was discovered by a famous talent scout.
- He dreams of becoming a talent scout for a big record label.