[f. STRUT v.1 + -ING1.]
† 1. The action of swelling with fullness, of projecting or sticking out, and the like. Obs.
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., XVIII. ciii. (1495), 847. [Brockes] fynde sleyghte and manere by suche stroutynge oute of the skynne to eschewe and put of the bytynge of houndes.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 480/2. Si[r]owtynge, nominaliter, turgor.
1573. Baret, Alv., S 897. A stretching or strowtting out, estendement.
1622. T. Stoughton, Chr. Sacrif., vii. 91. The Turkie cocke … maketh a great brustling and strouting with his wings.
1677. Miége, Dict. Eng.-Fr., A Strutting out, bouffissure, enflement.
1683. G. Martine, Reliq. Divi Andreae (1797), 183. The chaple is built on the east of the steeple, and strutts and projects out upon it about two foot, which strutting … makes the chaple to be in length without the wall 311/2 foot.
† 2. The action of ‘swelling’ or looking big; contending, blustering; flaunting, swaggering. Obs.
1399. Langl., Rich. Redeles, III. 121. For ben þey rayed arith, þey recchith no fforther, But studieth all in stroutynge and stireth amys euere.
1629. H. Burton, Truth’s Triumph, 255. Without any strouting of arrogancy.
3. The action of walking with stiff bearing and self-important air.
1656. Earl Monm., trans. Boccalini’s Pol. Touchstone, 442. Spanish Dons … with their usual Castilian strutting, and with unsufferable Spanish ostentation.
1711. Steele, Spect., No. 156, ¶ 5. The Woman’s Man expresses himself wholly in that Motion which we call Strutting: An elevated Chest, a pinched Hat, a measurable Step,… are the Marks of him.
1880. A. H. Swinton, Insect Variety, v. 209. A love-call that reproduces … the strutting, wing-drumming, and rustling of the males of the turkey and grouse at the pairing time.
