Sc. and U.S. [In Sc. tout (tūt), in Anglicized spelling toot. Of obscure origin, perh. orig. thieves’ cant. Cf. Sw. (vulgar or familiar) tūta to drink grog; but this is perh. from Eng.]
1. intr. ‘To drink copiously; to take a large draught’ (Jam.).
1676, a. 1700. [see tooting below].
a. 1774. R. Fergusson, Drink Ecl., 64. At thee they toot, an’ never spear my price.
1813. A. Cunningham, Songs, 7. She sat singing … And touting at the rosie wine.
2. trans. ‘To empty the vessel from which one drinks, to drink its whole contents’ (Jam.). Const. off, out, up.
a. 1774. R. Fergusson, Leith Races, xiii. They’ll ban fu’ sair the time That e’er they toutit aff the horn.
1788. G. Turnbull, Poet. Ess., 199. He leugh and toutit up the liquor Out ilka drap.
1811. C. Gray, in Whitelaw, Bk. Scot. Song, 260. ’Tis sweet to tout the glasses out.
3. intr. To go on a spree; to make a night of it. U.S.
1890. Gunter, Miss Nobody, xvii. Spreeing, gaming, and tooting all night.
Hence Tooting, touting vbl. sb., drinking, toping; in † touting-ken (obs. slang), a drinking-house.
1676. Coles, Dict., Touting-ken, tavern-bar.
a. 1700. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, Touting-ken, a Tavern or Ale-house Bar.
