Inflected strutted, strutting. Forms: α. 1 strútian, 3–7 stroute, 4–7 strowte, 6–7 strowt, stroot(e, 6–9 strout. β. 3–5 strut(e, 6 strutte, 7 strutt, 6– strut. [The α forms represent OE. strútian, prob. f. *strút STRUT sb.1; corresponding formations are mod.G. dial. straussen to wrangle, Da. strude to strut; also (with difference of conjugation), MHG. striuȥen wk. v. to contend, struggle (mod.G. dial. sträussen). The β forms, though they may partly have arisen from contracted pa. pple. forms with shortened vowel, appear also to represent a distinct formation (not recorded in OE.) from the weak grade of the root, corresponding to MHG., mod.G. strotzen to swell out, bulge, Sw. strutta to hop, strut, Da. strutte to strut, Norw. strutta to offer obstinate resistance, strotta to sulk. Although the α and β types partly represent different formations, both are found in each of the senses; they are therefore here treated as variants of the same word.]
† 1. intr. (Meaning somewhat uncertain.) ? To make a show of working; ? to struggle, make efforts. OE. rare–1.
c. 1000. Ælfric, Saints’ Lives, XXXII. 208. Swa þæt se halʓa wer [sc. the enshrined St. Eadmund] hi [sc. a band of robbers] wundorlice ʓeband, ælcne swa he stod strutiʓende mid tole [orig. sanctus martyr eos ligat in ipso conamine], þæt heora nan ne mihte þæt morð ʓefremman, ne hi þanon astyrian.
† 2. To bulge, swell; to protrude on account of being full or swollen. Often with out. Obs.
α. a. 1300. Rel. Ant., II. 15. Ne be þi winpil neuere … so stroutende.
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., XIII. xxix. (Tollem. MS.). And ofte he bloweþ outt his wombe and makeþ it stroute.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 480/2. Strowtyn, or bocyn owte, turgeo.
c. 1611. Chapman, Iliad, I. 464. The Misens strooted with the gale.
1612. Drayton, Poly-olb., XIII. 402. The daintie Clouer … That makes each Vdder strout abundantly with milke.
1668. Culpepper & Cole, Barthol. Anat., I. xx. 51. Somtimes being full, it [the Bladder] does so strout in the belly, that it may be felt by the hand.
1854. Miss Baker, Northampt. Gloss., Strout, to protrude, to swell.
β. 1605. Dekker, News fr. Hell, Wks. (Grosart), II. 124. Hauing … cheeks strutting out (like two footebals).
1609. Holland, Amm. Marcell., 373. Being for the nonce full of wine, till his skin strutted againe.
1678. Mrs. Behn, Sir P. Fancy, II. ii. 28. Lord how he’s swoln? see how his Stomach struts?
1771. J. Adams, Diary, 5 June, Wks. 1850, II. 268. The cow, whose teats strut with milk, is unmilked till nine o’clock.
† b. transf. To be stuffed or filled with. Obs.
c. 1611. Chapman, Iliad, XXI. 540. When Troy, and all her towres, Strooted with fillers.
a. 1624. Bp. M. Smith, Serm. (1632), 221. If the Exchequer doe stroute, and be stuft with siluer and gold.
† c. trans. To distend, cause to swell or bulge, make protuberant; to puff out. Also, to stuff or cram (with). Obs.
1540. Palsgr., Acolastus, II. iv. M iv. That scrippe or bagge … whiche is now … stroutted out with moche money.
1575. Banister, Chyrurg., I. (1585), 17. When the veines are strowted out by the effusion of humor.
1613. Purchas, Pilgrimage, IX. iii. 700. Knitting their furrowed browes, and strouting out their goggle eyes to watch their treasure.
1648. Herrick, Hesp., Paranæt. to M. J. Wicks, 21. And let Thy servant, not thy own self, sweat, To strut thy barnes with sheafs of Wheat.
1675. J. Smith, Chr. Relig. Appeal, IV. 84. I have seen children, when they are strutted with the Milk, Play with the Breast.
c. 1730. Ramsay, Boy & Pig, 9. The strait neck o’t [sc. the pot] wadna suffer The hand … Sae struted, to return again.
1740. in Mrs. Delany, Autobiog. & Corr. (1861), II. 72. His lady looked like a frightened owl, her locks strutted out and most furiously greased.
fig. c. 1624. Bacon, Consid. War with Spain (1629), 33. I will make a briefe List of the Particulars themselues, in an Historical Truth, no wayes strowted, nor made greater by Language.
† 3. intr. To contend, strive, quarrel, bluster. Obs.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 829. Al bigan to strut and strijf [G. All bigan stour and strijf] Agains adam and his wijf.
c. 1300. Havelok, 1779. Hwat are ye, þat are þer-oute, þat þus biginnen forto stroute?
c. 1330. Arth. & Merl., 233. Who so struted oȝainward, Anon þai ȝauen hem dintes hard.
1399. Langl., Rich. Redeles, III. 189. This makyth men mysdo more þan ouȝte ellis, And to stroute and to stare and stryue aȝeyn vertu.
c. 1400. Beryn, 1840. What evir þow speke, or stroute, certis it wol nat be.
† 4. To protrude stiffly from a surface or body; to stand out, jut forth. Also, to stick up. Obs.
α. c. 1385. Chaucer, Miller’s T., 129. Crul was his heer, and as the gold it shoon, And strouted as a Fanne, large and brode.
1566. Adlington, Apuleius, XI. xlviii. 124. I carried … a garlande of flowres upon my head, with palme leaves stroutinge out on every side.
1600. Fairfax, Tasso, IX. viii. Mustachoes strouting long.
β. 1676. T. Glover, Acc. Virginia, in Phil. Trans., XI. 635. Till such time as the leaves, that stood strutting out, fall down to the stalk.
1703. Dampier, Voy., III. i. 24. They [guinea fowl] have a small red Gill on each side of their Heads, like Ears, strutting out downwards.
1705. trans. Bosman’s Guinea, 264. They are called Crown-Birds, from the great yellowish Tuft or Crown intermixed with speckled Feathers, strutting like Hogs Bristles.
1772. Foote, Nabob, II. Wks. 1799, II. 302. A tulip strutting up like a magistrate’s mace.
1809. W. Irving, Knickerb., II. iv. (1849), 108. By the foot of a promontory, which strutted forth boldly into the waves.
† b. trans. To protrude, thrust forth, stick out, stretch out (an organ, part, growth). Obs.
1583. Golding, Calvin on Deut., lxxii. 444. If wee will not bowe downe our neckes but strout them out as harde as if they were steele or brasse.
1599. Breton, Will of Wit, etc. (Grosart), 57/2. If she stretch out a fine hande, hee strouteth out a straight legge.
1681. Colvil, Whigs Supplic. (1751), 41. Wild-Boars strouting out their bristles.
† 5. intr. To behave proudly or vaingloriously; to flaunt, triumph, swagger. Often to strut it, also to strut it out. Also, to glory, exult upon, over (a possession). Obs. (exc. as in 7 c).
α. c. 1570. Buggbears, I. iii. 47. Thou woldst have me … hack & hew my clothes, & go stroot it like a tossepotte.
1579. Gosson, Sch. Abuse (Arb.), 36. Desirous to strowt it with the beste, yet disdayning too liue by the sweate of their browes.
1611. Cotgr., s.v. Paladin, He swaggers, brags, or strouts it mightily.
a. 1643. J. Shute, Judgem. & Mercy (1645), 90. Nebuchadnezar … when he was strouting upon his Babell, and bragged of his power.
β. 1611. Cotgr., Piaffer,… to boast, or strut it vainely.
1675. T. Brooks, Golden Key, 220. Those proud enemies of Christ, who now … strut it out against him.
1684. T. Burnet, Theory Earth, I. 297. He will many times strut and triumph, as if he had wrested the thunder out of Jove’s right hand.
1754. Richardson, Grandison, IV. 61. The one strutting over the beauties, in order to enhance the value of the present; the other, courtesying ten times in a minute, to shew her gratitude.
† b. refl. in the same sense as prec. (Cf. boast, vaunt oneself.) Obs.
1655. Gurnall, Chr. in Arm., I. verse 13. vii. (1656), 364. Nebuchadnezzar strutting himself in his Palace with this bravado in his mouth, Is not this great Babylon that I have built?
a. 1716. South, Serm. (1727), IV. 84. See Nebuchadnezzar also strutting himself upon the Survey of that Mass of Riches.
† 6. intr. To raise oneself to one’s full height; to thrust up one’s head and stand erect; to perk up. Also fig. Obs.
1607. Chapman, Bussy d’Ambois, I. i. 7. Vnskilfull statuaries, who suppose (In forging a Colossus) if they make him Stroddle enough, stroote, and looke big, and gape, Their worke is goodly.
1622. Drayton, Poly-olb., V. 288. And therewithall he [a mountain] struts, as though he scorn’d to show His head belowe the Heauen.
1614. Gorges, Lucan, III. 117. Then Lygdanus by chance did eye, Tyrrhenus mounted loftily, Strowting vpon a Gallion’s puppe [L. Stantem sublimi Tyrrhenum culmine proræ].
1662. Greenhalgh, in Ellis, Orig. Lett., Ser. II. IV. 19. At which they shewed great rejoicing, by strutting up, so that some of their veils flew about like morris dancers.
1791. Boswell, Johnson (1904), I. 32. Johnson did not strut or stand on tiptoe: He only did not stoop.
1807. J. Barlow, Columb., I. 352. Taurus would shrink, Hemodia strut no more.
† b. refl. ? To stand erect, with feet firmly fixed on the ground. Obs.
1581. Mulcaster, Positions, viii. (1887), 51. Would any man beleue it,… that one Milo so strutted himselfe, so pitcht his feet, so peysed his bodie, as he remained vnremoueable from his place, being haled at … by a number of people.
c. intr. Of the legs: To be firmly fixed or planted on the ground. Obs.
1681. Dryden, Span. Friar, III. 32. What are become of those two Timber-loggs that he us’d to wear for Leggs, that stood strutting like the two black Posts before a door?
7. To walk with an affected air of dignity or importance, stepping stiffly with head erect. Also with it, and with adv., as about, off. (The current sense.)
α. 1594. Nashe, Unfort. Trav., K 1. He ietteth strouting, dancing on hys toes with his hands vnder his sides.
a. 1624. Bp. M. Smith, Serm. (1632), 170. They that carry their noses high into the wind,… and stroute in their gate, as though they went vpon stilts.
1640. C. Harvey, Synagogue, Engines, vii. (1647), 31. Nor that, which giant-like before did strout, Be able with a pigmeys pace t’hold out.
β. 1518. Galway Corporation Bk., in O’Flaherty, West Connaught (Irish Archæol. Soc., 1846), 35, note. That neither One Mac shall strutte ne swaggere thro’ the streets of Gallway.
1598. Shaks., Merry W., I. iv. 31. Do’s he not hold vp his head (as it were ?) and strut in his gate?
1638. W. Lisle, Heliodorus, X. 180. Full soone came in the gyant Æthiops, On tip-toe strutting.
1693. T. Power in Dryden’s Juvenal, xii. 159. Pacuvius struts it, and triumphant goes In the dejected Crowd of Rival Foes.
1733. Pope, Ep. Cobham, 153. Tom struts a Soldier, open, bold, and brave.
1849. D. G. Mitchell, Battle Summer (1852), 242. Stiff little Republicans strut about as if in togas.
1887. Besant, The World went, ii. He strutted proudly across the grass, regardless of his rags.
b. of a peacock or other fowl.
1591. Sylvester, Du Bartas, I. iv. 199. A Peacock, prickt with love’s desire, To woo his Mistress, strouting stately by her.
1632. Milton, L’Allegro, 52. While the Cock … Stoutly struts his Dames before.
1795. Cowper, Pairing Time, 39. Dick Redcap … strutting and sideling.
1840. Dickens, Old C. Shop, xv. Plump pigeons skimming round the roof or strutting on the eaves.
1847. Longf., Ev., I. i. And there, in his feathered seraglio, Strutted the lordly turkey.
c. fig.
1774. Burke, Amer. Tax., Sel. Wks. I. 103. In order meanly to sneak out of difficulties, into which they had proudly strutted.
1814. Wordsw., Excurs., III. 900. Big passions strutting on a petty stage.
1850. Hawthorne, Scarlet L., Introd. (1879), 24. His voice and laugh … came strutting out of his lungs, like the crow of a cock.
d. quasi-trans. with cognate or adverbial object.
1605. Shaks., Macb., V. v. 25. A poore Player, That struts and frets his houre vpon the Stage.
1749. Fielding, Tom Jones, XV. xi. He … then strutted some turns about his room.
1824. Medwin, Convers. Byron, I. 122. Think how he would mouth such and such a sentence,… strut such and such a scene.
e. trans. To walk upon or over (a floor, space) with a strut.
1749. Fielding, Tom Jones, XIV. i. Hence those strange monsters in lace and embroidery,… which, under the name of lords and ladies, strut the stage.
1810. Splendid Follies, I. 170. No eastern princess, strutting the boards of a puppet-show, ever exhibited [etc.].
Hence † Strutted ppl. a., distended, full-stored. (Cf. STRUT a.)
1648. Earl Westmorland, Otia Sacra (1879), 33. Are not my strutted Vessels full of Wine?
