hoot

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(not) care a hoot

To be concerned about someone or something. Typically used in the negative to convey the opposite. I don't care a hoot about making money, I just want to do something with my life that makes life better for others. I haven't cared a hoot for the show ever since they killed off my favorite character. Do whatever you want, I don't care a hoot.

(one) doesn't give a hoot (about something)

One does not care in the slightest (about something); one attaches no importance to something. I don't give a hoot about making money, I just want to do something with my life that helps other people. He doesn't give a hoot about the show ever since they killed off his favorite character.

a hoot and a half

Extremely funny. This show is a hoot and a half. My stomach hurt from laughing so hard during last week's episode. You'll love Mindy, she's just a hoot and a half.

hoot (one) down

To voice displeasure (as by booing) for a performer or performers to the extent that they decide to leave the stage. Are you sure you want to perform at that rowdy club? The crowd there is known to hoot people down.

hoot (one) off (the) stage

hoot and holler

To voice displeasure or unhappiness. There's no need to hoot and holler, Eleanor—we'll figure out a solution. Oh boy, what's the boss hooting and hollering about now?

hoot at (someone or something)

To yell at someone or something. Mom really hooted at me when she found out that I got a D in biology this semester.

not care a hoot (about something)

To not care in the slightest (about something or someone); to attach no importance to someone or something. I don't care a hoot about making money, I just want to do something with my life that makes life better for others. I haven't cared a hoot for the show ever since they killed off my favorite character. Do whatever you want, I don't care a hoot.

not give a damn

rude slang To not care in the slightest (about something or someone); to attach no importance to someone or something. I don't give a damn about making money, I just want to do something with my life that makes life better for others. I haven't given a damn for the show ever since they killed off my favorite character. Do whatever you want, I don't give a damn.

not give a hoot (about something)

To not care in the slightest (about something); to attach no importance to something. I don't give a hoot about making money, I just want to do something with my life that helps other people. I haven't given a hoot for the show ever since they killed off my favorite character.

hoot and holler

to shout in disapproval; to call and shout one's displeasure. After the umpire rendered his decision, the spectators hooted and hollered their thoughts on the matter. It's hard to play a good game of basketball when the fans are hooting and hollering at everything you do.

hoot someone off the stage

[for an audience] to boo and hiss until a performer leaves the stage. The rude audience hooted Carl off the stage. Carl was hooted off the stage.

howl at someone or something

1. Lit. [for a canine] to bay at someone or something. The dog howls at me when I play the trumpet. The wolves howled at the moon and created a terrible uproar.

2. and hoot at someone or something Fig. to yell out at someone or something. The audience howled at the actors and upset them greatly. We hooted at the singer until he stopped.

3. Fig. to laugh very hard at someone or something. Everyone just howled at Tom's joke. I howled at the story Alice told.

howl someone down

and hoot someone down

Fig. to yell at or boo someone's performance; to force someone to stop talking by yelling or booing. The audience howled the inept magician down. They howled down the musician.

not give a damn

Also, not give a fig or hang or hoot or rap or shit . Not care about, be indifferent to, as in I don't give a damn about him, or She doesn't give a fig if he comes or not. The nouns in all these terms signify something totally worthless. Although probably in oral use for much longer, damn is first recorded in this negative form in the late 1700s and the worthless item it is used to denigrate is a curse. Fig has denoted something small and worthless since about 1400, and hang since the mid-1800s; hoot has been used for the smallest particle since the later 1800s; rap, also for the smallest particle, since the first half of the 1800s, and shit, for excrement, since about 1920. All but the first of these terms are colloquial and the last (using shit) is vulgar.

not give a hoot

not give two hoots

INFORMAL

If you say that you don't give a hoot or don't give two hoots about something, you mean that you do not care about it at all. I don't give a hoot about what they think. These politicians don't give two hoots about the ordinary people.

not give a damn (or hoot)

not care at all. informal

1998 Penelope Lively Spiderweb The boys knew that the teachers didn't like them and they didn't give a damn.

not care (or give) a hoot (or two hoots)

not care at all. informal

1990 Karen Lawrence Springs of Living Water Never think about anybody but yourself, do you? Never give two hoots about your poor little sister following you around.

not care/give a ˈhoot (about somebody/something)

(also not care/give two ˈhoots (about somebody/something)) (informal) not care at all: I don’t care two hoots about having money, as long as I’m happy.

don’t give a hoot

tv. don’t care at all. (Folksy.) She doesn’t give a hoot if you go into town without her.

hoot

1. in. to laugh loudly. The audience screamed and hooted with their appreciation.

2. n. a joke; something laughable. The whole business was a terrific hoot.

3. in. to boo at someone’s performance. The audience hooted until the performer fled the stage in disgrace.

hooted

mod. alcohol intoxicated. Jed got himself good and hooted.