Also 6 loute, loughte, 6–7 lowt(e. [perh. of dialectal origin, connected with LOUR v.1 (cf. ON. lút-r stooping) or LOUT v.2]
1. An awkward ill-mannered fellow; a bumpkin, clown.
a. 1548. Hall, Chron., Hen. VI., 110. Callyng them, cowardes, dastardes, and loutes.
1565. Golding, Ovid’s Met. (1567), Pref. A iij b. The wyse, the foole: the countrie cloyne: the lerned and the lout.
1591. Shaks., Two Gent., IV. iv. 71. ’Tis no trusting to yond foolish Lowt.
1636. T. Randall, in Ann. Dubrensia (1877), 18. Ill thrive the Lowt, that did their mirth gaine-say.
1660. R. Coke, Justice Vind., Arts & Sci., 20. Will any man say, a great Lout new whipt, is probably like to make a good Schollar.
c. 1720. Prior, Old Gentry, 4. His son, and his son’s son, Were all but ploughmen, clowns and louts.
1821. Clare, Vill. Minstr., I. 19. A more uncouthly lout was hardly seen.
1871. Carlyle, in Mrs. C.’s Lett., I. 317. Her particularly stupid huge lout of a son.
1901. Longm. Mag., April, 546. That lout has actually dared to make love to me.
† 2. In occasional use: A servant. Obs.
1567. Drant, Horace’s Ep., I. x. E j. Collected coyne is Lord or lowte to eche possessinge man.
1626. Spelman, Gloss., s.v. Leudes, Anglis veteribus loute, pro seruiente et subdito.
3. Rugby School slang. A common fellow, ‘cad.’
1857. Hughes, Tom Brown, I. v. We never wear caps here. Only the louts wear caps. Ibid., I. viii. They would raar out instances of his … shirking some encounter with a lout of half his own size.
