[f. SPOUT v.]
1. Issuing in a spout or stream.
1601. Holland, Pliny, I. 91. The same is shadowie, full of woods, and watered with veines of spouting Springs.
1697. Dryden, Æneid, III. 822. With spouting blood the purple pavement swims.
1712. J. James, trans. Le Blond’s Gardening, 202. That is called spouting Water, which … forms single Jets, Sheafs, Bubblings of Water, &c.
1720. Pope, Iliad, XXI. 184. One [lance] raz’d Achilles’ hand; the spouting blood Spun forth.
1839. trans. Lamartine’s Trav. East, 127/1. Guards are placed … to watch over the safety of the khan;… fountains of spouting water keep it always cool.
2. Discharging liquid in a copious stream.
1654. Gayton, Pleas. Notes, Quix., I. 3. That other Knight…, whom I call the Knight of the high Scurrado, or Spouting Pestle.
1693. Evelyn, De la Quint. Compl. Gard., II. 5. I will say in another place, what Water is in the Pipes of spouting Fountains.
1780. trans. Von Troil’s Iceland, 256. At Geyser is the largest of all the spouting-springs in Iceland.
1896. Kipling, Seven Seas, 25. The wreck that lies on the spouting reef Where the ghastly blue-lights flare.
b. spec. Of whales: Throwing up spray in the act of respiration; blowing.
1648. Hexham, II. Een Spuyt-wal, a Spouting whale.
1668. Charleton, Onomast., 167. Balæna Physeter,… the puffing, or spouting Whale.
1835–6. Todd’s Cycl. Anat., I. 576/1. The Spouting Whales always feed upon living food.
1843. Penny Cycl., XXVII. 287/2. The Zoophagous or Spouting Cetaceans.
1845. Encycl. Metrop., VII. 339/2. The Spouting Family, which includes the Porpesse-like and Whale-like Tribes.
3. Given to speech-making; declamatory.
1796. Reynolds, Fortune’s Fool, IV. i. In the garret is a spouting author.
1889. John Bull, 2 March, 140. The spouting agitator whose speeches have incited to these criminal deeds.
