scout

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
scout1

▶noun

• 1 a soldier or other person sent out ahead of a main force so as to gather information about the enemy's position, strength, or movements.

  ■ a ship or aircraft employed for reconnaissance.

  ■ an instance of scouting.

• 2 (also Scout) a member of the Scout Association.

• 3 a talent scout.

• 4 (also scout bee) a honeybee that searches for a new site for a swarm to settle or for a new food source.

• 5 a domestic worker at a college at Oxford University.

• 6 informal, dated a man or boy.

▶verb

• 1 make a detailed search of a place.

  ■ explore or examine so as to gather information: they are keen to scout out business opportunities.

• 2 act as a scout.

– derivatives
scouting noun.

– origin ME: from OFr. escouter ‘listen’, earlier ascolter, from L. auscultare.

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
scout2

▶verb archaic reject (a proposal or idea) with scorn.

– origin C17: of Scand. origin.