tout [ME] The early spelling was tute and the meaning ‘look out’. From a Germanic source, tout is related to Dutch tuit ‘spout, nozzle’ (from the notion of ‘protruding, poking one’s head out’). Later senses were ‘watch, spy on’ (late 17th century), and ‘solicit custom’ (mid 18th century). The noun is first recorded in examples from the early 18th century in the slang use ‘thieves’ lookout’. Ticket tout is first found in the mid 20th century.