scout

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

1. v. To spy on or explore carefully in order to obtain information; reconnoiter.
2. v. To observe and evaluate (a talented person), as for possible hiring.
3. v. To search as a scout: scout around for some gossip.
4. v. To search for talented people: scouts for a professional basketball team.
5. n. One that is dispatched from a main body to gather information, especially in preparation for military action.
6. n. The act of reconnoitering.
7. n. A watcher or sentinel.
8. n. One who is employed to discover and recruit talented persons, especially in the fields of sports and entertainment.
9. n. Sports One who is employed to observe and report on the strategies and players of rival teams.
10. n. A member of the Boy Scouts.
11. n. A member of the Girl Scouts.
12. n. Informal An individual; a person: a good scout.
13. n. Chiefly British A student's male servant at Oxford University.
14. v. To reject with disdain or derision. See Synonyms at despise.
15. v. To treat another with derision; scoff.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. n. A person sent out to gain and bring in information; specifically, one employed to observe the motions and obtain intelligence of the numbers of an enemy.
2. n. A scouting party.
3. n. A spy; a sneak.
4. n. A college servant or waiter.
5. n. In cricket, a fielder.
6. n. The act of looking out or watching; lookout; watch.
7. n. One of various birds of the auk family (Alcidæ) which are common on the British islands, as the razor-billed auk, the common or foolish guillemot, and the puffin or sea-parrot.
8. n. In the Netherlands, a bailiff or magistrate. See schout.
9. To observe or explore as a scout; watch the movements of an enemy.
10. To watch closely; observe the actions of; spy out.
11. To range over for the purpose of discovery.
12. To ridicule; sneer at; treat with disdain. and contempt; reject with scorn: as, to scout a proposal.
13. n. A high rock.
14. n. A swift Dutch sailing boat.
15. To pour forth a liquid forcibly; eject liquid excrement.
16. n. The guillemot.
17. n. Naval, a vessel employed in obtaining information concerning the positions and numbers of the enemy's fleet. See also scout cruiser.

Wiktionary

1. n. A person sent out to gain and bring in tidings; especially, one employed in war to gain information about the enemy and ground.
2. n. An act of scouting or reconnoitering.
3. n. A member of any number of youth organizations belonging to the international scout movement, such as the Boy Scouts of America or Girl Scouts of the United States.
4. n. A person who assesses and/or recruits others; especially, one who identifies promising talent on behalf of a sports team.
5. n. UK A college student's or undergraduate's servant; -- so called in Oxford, England; at Cambridge called a gyp; and at Dublin, a skip.
6. n. UK A fielder in a game for practice.
7. n. historical, UK A term used until 1920's of a fighter aircraft.
8. v. To explore a wide terrain, as on a search.
9. v. transitive To reject with contempt.
10. v. intransitive To scoff.
11. n. dated A swift sailing boat.
12. n. archaic A projecting rock.

GNU Webster's 1913

1. n. obsolete A swift sailing boat.
2. n. Prov. Eng. A projecting rock.
3. v. To reject with contempt, as something absurd; to treat with ridicule; to flout.
4. n. A person sent out to gain and bring in tidings; especially, one employed in war to gain information of the movements and condition of an enemy.
5. n. Cant A college student's or undergraduate's servant; -- so called in Oxford, England; at Cambridge called a gyp; and at Dublin, a skip.
6. n. (Cricket) A fielder in a game for practice.
7. n. colloq. The act of scouting or reconnoitering.
8. n. A boy scout or girl scout (which see, above).
9. v. To observe, watch, or look for, as a scout; to follow for the purpose of observation, as a scout.
10. v. To pass over or through, as a scout; to reconnoiter.
11. v. To go on the business of scouting, or watching the motions of an enemy; to act as a scout.

WordNet 3.0

1. n. a Boy Scout or Girl Scout
2. n. someone who can find paths through unexplored territory
3. n. someone employed to discover and recruit talented persons (especially in the worlds of entertainment or sports)
4. n. a person employed to keep watch for some anticipated event
5. v. explore, often with the goal of finding something or somebody