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.
例文
1. He visited Thailand and Singapore to tout for investment.
彼はタイとシンガポールを訪問し、投資誘致を図った。
2.Minicabs are not allowed to tout for hire on the streets.
小型タクシーは街での商売を禁止している。
3.It was a lie, tout court.
それは嘘にすぎない。
4.He called me Jones tout court.
彼は簡単にジョーンズと呼んだ。
5. Ils ne touchaient plus ce sujet de tout 1'apr è s - midi.