Green’s Dictionary of Slang

(Aus./US) a lieutenant; also used in UK in WWI to describe the rank, but not to address its bearer.

1885		(con. 1865) in Eliz. Custer Boots and Saddles 11: The corp’ral is worse than the private, / The sergeant’s worse than the corp’ral, / The lieut’s worse than the sergeant, / And the captain is worse than them all.
1898		F.P. Dunne Mr Dooley in Peace and War 11: R-run over an’ wake up th’ loot at th’ station.
1918		‘Commander’ Clear the Decks! 113: The flag loot was up first, sore as sox that his hoist had gone.
1918		D.G. Rowse Doughboy Dope 101: He (the 2nd Lute) said for you not to stand reveille and it would be O.K.
1920		Bulletin (Sydney) 19 Feb. 40/4: And—er—the next time Ethelbert gets into trouble, don’t you think that a one-star loot or a w.o. would be good enough?
1921		Dos Passos Three Soldiers 114: The loot wants to see you at once.
1927		(con. 1920s) S. Lewis Elmer Gantry 394: ‘Draw your revolver! These women are known to be up to every trick!’ ‘All right, sure, loot!’ giggled the brick-faced police sergeant.
1929		H.W. Brecht Downfall 75: I remember the second loot I had in the army.
1930		(con. 1914–18) Brophy & Partridge Songs and Sl. of the British Soldier 138: Loot.—Lieutenant. E.g. ‘He’s a loot now’ but not ‘Loot Robinson’.
1951		Cusack & James Come in Spinner (1960) 7: Good-oh, Loot.
1963		(con. 1944) L. Glassop Rats in New Guinea 11: I’m terrified I’ll get a commission and have to worry about a platoon. Let the loot do it.
1967		M. Braly On the Yard (2002) 96: ‘Seriously, Chilly —’ Lieutenant Olson began. ‘I know you’re serious, Loot. So am I.’.
1977		(con. 1941) R. Beilby Gunner 302: My loot’ll throw his arms around ya neck an’ kiss ya because we’ve been lookin’ for ya for quite a while.
1981		G.V. Higgins Rat on Fire (1982) 148: You can have my chair, Loot.
1990		P. Hotz Muzukuru 2: Our lootie shouts ‘Black Boot’, the password, the gate opens. [Ibid.] 10: He’d once been a lootie in a honky unit – all our officers were honkies – but he’d made such a drastic balls-up that he’d been sent on to us.
1990		S. Morgan Homeboy 52: You don’t think I run with informants, Loot?