An Owl's Hoot Travels Further Than a Screech
A hoot is a low resonant cry. The owl's call is pitched to carry through woodland.
A hoot is the low resonant cry of an owl, or a shout of derision or laughter. The pitch is not accidental: low frequencies pass around tree trunks and foliage with less loss than high ones, so a hoot carries far through dense woodland where a shrill call would be absorbed. Owls that hunt in open country tend towards screeches instead. *Not give a hoot* means to care nothing, and *a hoot* can mean something very funny.
- An owl's cry. *The hoot of an owl.*
- A shout of derision. *Hoots of laughter.*
- A car horn. *A hoot of the horn.*
- Not give a hoot — not care. *Not a hoot.*
- Imitative. *From the 1200s.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | hoot | A hoot. |
| Verb | hoot | Hooting. |
| Past | hooted | Hooted. |
| Agent | hooter | A hooter. |
| Related | honk | A honk. |
- An owl hooted in the dark.Bird.
- The crowd hooted at him.Derision.
- The film was a hoot.Amusement.
Why low sounds carry
- Long wavelengths bend around obstacles rather than reflecting
- High frequencies are absorbed and scattered by leaves
- Woodland birds favour lower calls
- Open-country species can afford higher, sharper ones
- The same physics is why distant thunder is a rumble
Middle English, imitative of the sound, recorded from the 1200s.
Why do owls hoot rather than screech?
Low frequencies bend around trees and carry further in woodland. Owls in open country use higher calls more often.
What does not give a hoot mean?
To care nothing at all. A hoot here stands for the smallest imaginable amount.