flout

English

Etymology

Perhaps from (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Middle English flouten (“to play the flute”); compare with Dutch fluiten.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /flaʊt/
• IPA^(key): /flʌʊt/
• Rhymes: -aʊt

Verb

flout (third-person singular simple present flouts, present participle flouting, simple past and past participle flouted)

1. (transitive) To express contempt for (laws, rules, etc.) by word or action.
   • 2012, The Economist, Sep 29th 2012 issue, Tax alchemy: Tech's avoidance

     The manoeuvres of Microsoft and HP appear to comply with the letter of the regulations, even if they flout their spirit.

2. (transitive, archaic) To scorn.
   • Walton

     Phillida flouts me.

   • Byron

     Three gaudy standards flout the pale blue sky.

Usage notes

• Do not confuse with flaunt.

Translations

to express contempt for the rules by word or action

• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 公然 (zh) (gōngrán)藐視／藐视 (zh) (miǎoshì)、違背／违背 (zh) (wéibèi)

• Dutch: minachten (nl), veronachtzamen (nl)
• Finnish: uhmata (fi), halveksia (fi), pitää pilkkanaan (fi)
• German: sich hinwegsetzen über, missachten (de)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Maori: whakatoi, whakatoitoi
• Polish: zlekceważyć (pl)
• Portuguese: desrespeitar (pt)
• Russian: пренебрега́ть (ru) (prenebregátʹ)
• Spanish: sobreponerse (es), saltarse a la torera (colloquial; of an action)

to scorn

• Bulgarian: надсмивам се (nadsmivam se), подигравам се (podigravam se)
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 藐視／藐视 (zh) (miǎoshì)、鄙視／鄙视 (zh) (bǐshì)、不屑 (zh) (bùxiè)

• Dutch: bespotten (nl)
• Finnish: halveksia (fi), pitää pilkkanaan (fi)
• French: mépriser (fr), se moquer de
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• German: verspotten (de), beleidigen (de)
• Maori: whakatoi, whakatoitoi
• Polish: gardzić (pl)
• Portuguese: escarnecer (pt), ridicularizar (pt)
• Russian: насмехаться (ru) (nasmexatʹsja), глумиться (ru) (glumitʹsja)

Noun

flout (plural flouts)

1. The act by which something is flouted; violation of a law.
   • 2012, John Flowerdew, Discourse in English Language Education (page 97)

     A flout is when someone deliberately and ostentatiously contravenes a maxim.

2. A mockery or insult.

---

Luxembourgish

Adjective

flout

1. strong/weak nominative/accusative neuter singular of flou