Also 7–9 Sc. touting. [f. TOOT v.2 + -ING1.] The action of TOOT v.2; the sound made by blowing a horn or other wind-instrument.
1568. Hist. Jacob & Esau, I. ii. A iij b. Then maketh he with his Horne such tootyng and blowing.
1603. Holland, Plutarch’s Mor., 665. Another mercenary minstrell … kept a foolish and ridiculous tooting.
1630. J. Levett, Order. Bees (1634), 30. You shall heare a touting in manner like the sounding of a Bewgle horne amongst the Bees.
1712. Nevill, in Phil. Trans., XXVIII. 270. Will not admit of any sound by Blast as a Horn doth, but by the articulate Voice of tooting it will.
1880. W. Newton, Serm. for Boys & Girls (1881), 410. Tootings innumerable from the steam whistle.
b. attrib. and Comb., as tooting-horn, -trumpet.
1737. Ramsay, Scots Prov., xx. 75. It is ill making a silk purse of a sow’s lug, or a touting horn of a tod’s tail.
1805. J. Nicol, Poems, I. 2, note (Jam.). A touting horn (the horn of an ox perforated at the small end) by blowing on which they made a loud … sound.
1889. W. G. Dickson, Glean. fr. Japan, xiii. 251. The boy behind is provided with a small tooting-trumpet to warn other travellers on the road.
Tooting, touting vbl. sb.3: see TOOT, TOUT v.3
Tooting: see TOOT v.1, 2, TOUTING vbl. sb.1
