stout
A adjective
1 vigorous, robust, full of energy; in good health (especially after recovering from an illness.)
1834 Seal Letter My wife is very stout of her age and wants to see you and so does Zeally too and so does the children all. 1862 Edmonston/Kelly CW Letters I had the tooth ache too days but I had it taken out Since that I have ben Stout. 1864 Chapman CW Letters (April 23) I can inform you That I am Well and tolerbel stout at present. 1908 Smith Reminiscences 407 “Mose, are you stout?” saluted “Devil”Sam. 1956 Hall Coll (Sand Hill TN) I thought it was too tough at home. Daddy wasn’t stout, and when hit’d be a big snow on the ground, I had to get out and get the wood. 1970 GSMNP-26:11 He got into a cutting scrape with a fellow and cut him up till the other fellow didn’t die, but he was never stout after it….They said he never was much stout after that. 1994 Montgomery Coll Reckon You’re stout? [= Are you in good health?] (Ogle)
2 Powerful, strong in body.
1962 Hall Coll (Cades Cove TN) Becky Cable was a very stout woman. She did man’s work. She lived to be ninety-six years old. 1971 AOHP/ALC-66 I wasn’t but about twenty-four years old, stout as a mule.
B adverb Robustly, boldly.
1939 Hall Coll (Tuckaleechee Cove TN) We’d hear’em talk big and stout, how they’d he’p carry the old bear out. [In “To the Bearhunters of Yesterday”; for this poem, see 1978 HallYarns and Tales 38-39] 1975 Chalmers Better 66 Good shoes will wear stout even for this trifling generation.
—Dictionary of Southern Appalachian English
In one of my recent videos with Granny she used the word stout to describe her mother. Kathleen, a subscriber, commented that I should explain what she meant.
The definitions for stout from the dictionary entry are beyond common in my area of Appalachia. In fact, it’s one of the many usages that cause me to wonder what word I would use if not stout in certain instances.
Examples from Brasstown 2024
- He was a big ole stout boy by the time he was 12 year old. As tall and broad as his daddy.
- Pap always said you had to drink a lot of water to be stout through your whole life.
- Paul Ray Morgan has a stout voice. You can hear him outside the church house when he sings.
- He wasn’t a stout man. He’d been sort of sickly since childhood, but he managed to do a whole lot.
- They’ve been a painting down at the church and I’m telling you the fumes are so stout I don’t know that they can have church a Sunday.
- Granny Gazzie was a stout woman. Not because she was large in size, but because she was a real worker no matter the task and could hold her ground against anybody.
- She said the kraut she made this year was so stout you could barely stand it.
Last night’s video: Trying to Hurry Fall & Easy Delicious Apple Bread.
Tipper
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We have always used both meanings. Both my grandmas were stout women. They were on the larger side and able to do a lot of heavy work. Also, whew, that is a stout drink. Really strong. Have a great one!
Oh yes! Stout is still in our vocabulary. We always use it as a compliment.
I remember the rhyme “I’m a little teapot short and stout”. It may refer to being strong in this instance. Just my two cents worth.
As with many other words, stout must be understood within the context that it is used.
Some clothing for larger women was once called, “Stylish Stouts”.
I also heard Granny use the word stout and found it very interesting as we here have only referred to stout as someone being heavy set. Enjoyed finding out all the ways it is used. Thanks for sharing!
Heard this word all my life. I was always stout. Now that I am 79, not so much.
I have a bit of a different slant on “stout”. I have heard it used as a more polite way of saying ” heavy” (also known as ‘fat’). Mostly though I’ve heard it to mean strong.
I’ve heard “stout” applied to objects, like a rope or hoe handle, in addition to those usages concerning health and strength in people and animals.
I very much noticed Granny’s usage of this word to describe her mother and found it a little confusing to me. This post is so interesting and informative. Thank you!
I have never heard the word stout used this way, so I have learned something new. I’m a retired teacher and I have always be fascinated with language.
Stout means strong when I use the word to describe someone’s or something’s strength. It can also mean a strong fragrance. Daddy used to tease Mom about making his coffee so stout it could get up and walk.
Stout is a very common word used frequently in the north Alabama hills where I live and it usually means “strong”. It could mean a person, machine, tractor, animal, food, or drink, etc. There is another term that implements stout into that I rarely hear anymore. That is the word “stouthouse”. I have never heard it used any other way than in reference to jail (i.e. “I heard Tal Bonds got drunk last night, caused a big ruckus in town, and now the sheriff has him locked up over at Double Springs in the stouthouse”.).
There is a community a county east of me that is called “Stout’s Mountain”. I also have a very good friend in Knoxville, TN whose last name is Stout.
My people always used stout to refer to one’s body structure and character. A stout person was one that was not over weight, but not a muscular looking person in body. My grandmother on my dad’s side was a stout woman both physically and emotionally. We never heard her express her feelings to anyone. She was polite, but she was not one to express her feelings, nor show her emotions through any expression. At least that’s how I remember her. She may have been different in character in her youth, but in her younger pictures I could tell she was always stout physically.
Hi Tipper, I remember s store that catered to larger sized ladies clothing. It was called Catherine’s Stout Shop. Don’t know if it’d still open but I believe it changed the name to Catherine’s after a while! lol. I have heared the word stout to refer to a healthy person as well.
Always enjoy these posts about the language of Appalachia.
I never really hear stout particularly used for strong smelling/tasting as in the kraut reference but only in big or maybe heavy. When I was 10/11/12 yo, my grandmother would tell me I was stout. I always knew it her (kinder) way of saying she thought I was heavy (LOL).
I’ve heard and used stout all my life
My granny Myrtle was stout as a horse!
Enjoyed hearing the toddler voices while you made the apple bread video!
Everyone have a great day..pray for our country.
I remember my mother and father were talking about someone new who came into their store to work. Daddy said, “Yeah, he shore is a stout feller.” I have also heard them say, “stout as a mule.”
To me stout has always meant strong and resilient. Like a dogwood prize pole is stout.
I was a stout woman most of my life, but at 57, I’ve lost a lot of weight and muscle. I get the distinct feeling my stout has all but left me. God bless us all I reckon as we live in these most uncertain, confusing and greedy for gain times! I’m certain in years to come this will be known as the AGE of stupidity and lack of reasoning.
I have heard and have often used the word “stout” In the ways you mentioned. In my younger, better days sometimes I would be called stout for both my size and strength. I am still big but not nearly as strong as I once was. I joke and say hard manual work may not kill you but it sure can break you down and cause problems in the older years of your life. I have often heard men described as being “ stout as a mule.”
In Britain hit takes a danged stout feller to drink Stout.
Good Blessed morning everyone….isn’t it a wonderful day the Lord has made?….let us be glad in it and begin the day thanking the Lord for all out bounties..large and small. Great video Tipper. Blessings for Granny and you guys.
Glenda- yes it is a wonderful day!
We use stout all the time. I often hear that someone is “stout as a mule”.
So interesting. I’ve always heard and used stout to mean like a good sturdy size but never thought of it as meaning healthy. I suppose we always meant it that rag without my realizing it because I sure wouldn’t describe a sickly person that way. Stout is a great word.
In a few short words, stout meant you could cut it.
I assume that the family name Stout had its origin from this word. I know that there are many Stout families in Tennessee.