From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishboutbout /baʊt/ ●○○ noun [countable] 1 → a bout of depression/flu/sickness etc2 PERIOD OF TIMEa short period of time during which you do something a lot, especially something that is bad for you a drinking boutbout of a bout of unemployment3 DSa boxing or wrestling match
Examples from the Corpus
bout• Some of the delays between bouts were annoying, but action never slowed down once the fighting began.• If this also ties, then each team captain selects a representative to fight a deciding bout.• The cruel Sylvie, the Sylvie of the drinking and drug bouts.• A painful bout with heroin addiction eventually led him to a spiritual rebirth.• The sneezing bouts continued for a couple of days, accompanied by shivering and coughing fits.• You can only speculate at how Phoenix featherweight Louie Espinoza would have fared in the bout.bout of• a bout of drinking'bout'bout /baʊt/ adverb, preposition spoken informal ABOUTabout What are you talking 'bout?Examples from the Corpus
'bout• What are you talking 'bout?Origin bout (1500-1600) bout “one trip up the field and back in plowing” ((16-19 centuries)), from bought “bending” ((14-17 centuries))