Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • adjective Bulky in figure; thickset or corpulent. synonym: fat.
  • adjective Strong in body; sturdy.
  • adjective Thick or strong in structure or substance; solid or substantial.
  • adjective Having or marked by boldness or determination; resolute.
  • adjective Stubborn or uncompromising.
  • adjective Having a strong flavor.
  • noun A thickset or corpulent person.
  • noun A garment size for a large or heavy figure.
  • noun A strong, very dark beer or ale.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • To be bold or defiant.
  • To persist; endure: with an impersonal it.
  • To dare; defy; resist.
  • noun A gnat.
  • noun A gadfly.
  • noun A firefly or miller.
  • Bold; valiant; brave; daring.
  • Proud; haughty.
  • Firm; resolute; persistent; stubborn.
  • Hardy; vigorous; lusty; sturdy.
  • Firm; sound; stanch; strong.
  • Solid; substantial.
  • Bulky in figure; thick-set; corpulent.
  • Synonyms Valorous, manful, gallant.
  • 4 and
  • Stalwart, Sturdy, etc. See robust.
  • noun Strong ale or beer of any sort; hence, since the introduction of porter, porter of extra strength: as, Dublin stout.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun A strong, dark malt brew having a higher percentage of hops than porter; strong porter; a popular variety sold in the U. S. is Guinness' stout.
  • adjective Strong; lusty; vigorous; robust; sinewy; muscular; hence, firm; resolute; dauntless.
  • adjective Archaic Proud; haughty; arrogant; hard.
  • adjective Firm; tough; materially strong; enduring.
  • adjective Large; bulky; corpulent.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adjective bold, strong-minded; lusty; vigorous; robust; sinewy; muscular.
  • adjective proud; haughty; arrogant; hard.
  • adjective firm; resolute; dauntless.
  • adjective materially strong, enduring.
  • adjective obstinate.
  • adjective large; bulky, thickset; corpulent, fat.
  • noun A dark and strong malt brew made with toasted grain.
  • noun A fatso.
  • noun A large clothing size, for the corpulent

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • adjective dependable
  • noun a strong very dark heavy-bodied ale made from pale malt and roasted unmalted barley and (often) caramel malt with hops
  • adjective having rugged physical strength; inured to fatigue or hardships
  • adjective euphemisms for `fat'
  • noun a garment size for a large or heavy person

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Middle English, from Old French estout, of Germanic origin; see stel- in Indo-European roots.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Middle English stout, from Old French estout "brave, fierce, proud" (Modern French dialectal stout "proud"), earlier estolt "strong", from Proto-Germanic *stultaz (“proud, stately, stiff”), from Proto-Germanic *stil-, *stal-, *stul- (“to be solid, stationary, firm, stiff”), from Proto-Indo-European *stel- (“to put, stand”); cognate with Dutch stout 'stout, bold, rash', Low German stolt ("stately, proud"), German stolz ("proud, haughty, arrogant, stately"), Old Norse stoltr "proud" (Danish stolt "proud"). Meaning "strong in body, powerfully built" is attested from c.1386, but has been to a large extent displaced by the euphemistic meaning "thick-bodied, fat and large," which is first recorded 1804. Original sense preserved in stout-hearted (1552). The noun "strong, dark-brown beer" is first recorded 1677, from the adjective.

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Examples

  • In Lee's eyes, Longstreet remains what he called his stout lieutenant after Sharpsburg—my "war horse."

    LEE’S LIEUTENANTS DOUGLAS SOUTHALL FREEMAN 2001

  • In Lee's eyes, Longstreet remains what he called his stout lieutenant after Sharpsburg—my "war horse."

    LEE’S LIEUTENANTS DOUGLAS SOUTHALL FREEMAN 2001

  • The principal tame quadrupeds of this country, are horses, cattle, buffaloes, sheep, goats, and hogs The horses are small, never exceeding in size what we call a stout galloway, but they are nimble and spirited, and are reported to have been found here when the Europeans first came round the Cape of Good Hope.

    A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels — Volume 13 Robert Kerr 1784

  • The 'stout' is even entering story, not for farcical effect either.

    Stylish Stouts 1969

  • The 'stout' is even entering story, not for farcical effect either.

    Stylish Stouts 1919

  • "Heck, with Hopworks, Portland now has a brewpub actually themed for and dedicated to bicycle riding." mmmmmmmmm 7 grain stout-black beer w/stumptown espresso-nectar of the gods ...

    You can stretch right up and touch the sky (Jack Bog's Blog) 2009

  • She held up one foot and then the other, encased in stout walking shoes which she had begun that morning to break in about the house.

    CHAPTER XIX 2010

  • Milk stout is made from the addition of lactose to the beer, which gives it added body, sweetness and calories.

    Milk-Hearted Stout Steve Carper 2008

  • The Wolfpack defense, however, was stout from the start.

    USATODAY.com - Scores 2005

  • FLOWERS: Numerous, white, tinged purple, usually borne in short, stout axillary cymes on a long stalk.

    Chapter 7 1999

Comments

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  • I like the "sturdy" and "dependable" senses best.

    October 17, 2008