Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. to buy a round of drinks (for someone) [one shouts to the publican for drink].

1854		Bell’s Life in Sydney 28 Jan. 3/1: She declared that she took her friend, Edward Jones, into the Ogilvie grub department, and there shouted for two nobblers of brandy and a bottle of lemonade.
1858		‘A. Pendragon’ Queen of the South 9: Croker is going to shout: come in.
1861		T. McCombie Aus. Sketches 80: Gentlemen required a great deal of attendance, did not ‘shout’ (the slang term for ordering grog) every quarter of an hour, and therefore spent comparatively nothing.
1870		Sth Aus. Chron. (Adelaide, SA) 1 Jan. 9/5: Down to North-terrace let us then adjourn, / And if to vulgar slang I may descend, / I’ll ‘shout’ all round.
1872		M.E. Braddon To the Bitter End III 123: When the lucky digger was wont to ‘shout’—that is to say, pay the shot—for the refreshment of his comrades.
1882		N.Z. Observer (Auckland) 8 July 259/2: Any bushwhacker who is prepared to ‘pay his footing’ by ‘shouting’ for these sucking orators is welcomed to the charmed circle, and allowed to air his grievances.
1884		Sporting Times 27 Sept. 7/1: ‘Shout the house,’ if funds permit.
1885		Bulletin (Sydney) 14 Mar. 10/4: The object of this society is ingeniously admitted to be the consumption of beer and the encouragement of the fine old practice of ‘shouting.’.
1887		‘Aus. Colloquialisms’ in All Year Round 30 July 67/2: Each man in turn ‘shouts’ — that is to say, stands treat to the rest of the gathering.
1888		‘Rolf Boldrewood’ Robbery Under Arms (1922) 194: We had our drinks, and shouted for the landlord and the people in the bar.
1893		K. Mackay Out Back 265: Now then boys, who shouts? [...] What’s it to be, lads? Nominate your poisons.
1901		H. Lawson ‘His Brother’s Keeper’ in Roderick (1972) 521: I had a drink with Thomas. Then, of course, I shouted in my turn.
1908		C. Tomalin Venturesome Tom 54: The Count celebrated his victory by ‘shouting’ (which means paying for drinks) for everyone in the hotel.
1917		‘Henry Handel Richardson’ Aus. Felix (1971) 42: Shout us a drink, old pal!
1921		(con. WWI) E. Lynch Somme Mud 105: I [...] shout myself and the two signallers a good rum each.
1934		T. Wood Cobbers 467: Bill the donkey-driver had come to town and was shouting drinks for the crowd.
1941		K. Tennant Battlers 140: He regretted now that he had turned down that free beer the lorry-driver had offered. But the man might have expected him to shout back, and the busker had only a shilling in the world.
1957		‘Nino Culotta’ They’re a Weird Mob (1958) 26: I shouted for you, now it’s your turn to shout for me.
1965		F.J. Hardy Yarns of Billy Borker 23: He rushed in and said he’d won the lottery. Shouted for the bar to prove it.
1976		R. Hall Glide Time 73: I’ll be going over to celebrate even if he doesn’t shout.
1982		N. Keesing Lily on the Dustbin 62: The traditional compulsion to ‘shout’ rounds of drinks seems to be disappearing.
1996		Penguin Bk of More Aus. Jokes 238: Let me shout you a stout. I hear that drinking stout puts lead in your pencil.
2006		P. Carey Theft 21: We’ll shout you a shandy.
2012		A. Savage ‘Killing Peacocks’ in Crime Factory: Hard Labour [ebook] I had to shout a round for the winner.
2015		I. Welsh Decent Ride 278: A round of drinks is shouted up as they commisterate with Doughheid.

2. to treat (other than to liquor).

1881		Bulletin (Sydney) 9 Apr. 9/1: If any one will ‘shout’ us a castle, and allow us to choose our own architects and contractors, we will risk the collapse.
1906		E. Dyson Fact’ry ’Ands 185: He gave up beer and other selfish little indulgences, in order to have it in his power to shout the young lady to 2s. seats at the Royal.
1911		E. Dyson ‘At the Opera’ in Benno and Some of the Push 87: He shouted Miss Gwynne to a two-shilling seat at the opera.
1926		J. Doone Timely Tips For New Australians 23: TO ‘SHOUT.’—To treat, generally applied to liquid refreshment.
1934		T. Wood Cobbers 54: She’s not much to look at – I really ought to shout her a fresh coat of paint.
1939		K. Tennant Foveaux 140: Any time Tommy tried to shout the family to the picture show there was a unanimous firm refusal.
1943		Baker ‘Influence of American Sl. on Australia’ in AS XVIII:4 255: Here are a few of the items included: [...] shout, to stand treat.
1949		R. Park Poor Man’s Orange 6: I’ve got two bob if you’d like to shout me to the pitchers.
1951		D. Stivens Jimmy Brockett 42: We cleaned up enough to shout ourselves a trip to England.
1960		‘Nino Culotta’ Cop This Lot 14: ‘I hereby invite yer ter come with us.’ ‘You shoutin’?’.
1961		B. Crump Hang On a Minute, Mate (1963) 78: Henry was too miserable to shout himself a collar and chain.
1967		B. Crump Odd Spot of Bother 115: You could shout yourself a flash car.
1972		B. Crump ‘Fred’ in Best of Barry Crump (1974) 295: It’s just about time you shouted yourself a new outfit, isn’t it Scratcher?
1987		M. Bail Holden’s Performance (1989) 349: On the last night he shouted Vern a meal in the capital’s only greasy fish ’n’ chip shop.
1997		L. Davies Candy 118: A hundred’s all I’ve got right now. But I’ll shout you a taste.
1999		Indep. on Sun. Rev. 24 Oct. 14: Sure, if the Royals came here, I’d shout them a cup of coffee.
2000		P. Howard Miseducation of Ross O’Carroll-Kelly (2004) 59: Come on, I’ll shout you a cappuccino.
2006		P. Carey Theft 81: He was sufficiently cashed-up so might have shouted me a real mixed grill.
2020		D. Whish-Wilson Shore Leave 34: Webb had invited Swann onto the aircraft carrier, to shout him lunch in the officers’ galley.

3. (US) of things, to be undeniably important; of a person, to utter a supposedly important statement.

1892		Pall Mall Gazette 25 July 3/1: Figures which, to use an Americanism, fairly ‘shout’ [DA].
1924		C.E. Mulford Hopalong Cassidy Returns 103: Yo’re shoutin’ gospel, stranger [...] This feller Perkins is plumb bad.
1940		O. Strange Sudden Takes the Trail 100: ‘Tied to a desk all day ain’t much of a life.’ ‘Yo’re shoutin’ – it’d give me the willies in a week,’ the other agreed.

4. (US black) to cry out or ‘speak in tongues’, usu. in church, as the apparent result of being possessed by spirits; also to exhort the congregation to do so.

1940		E.F. Frazier Negro Youth 129: Then came a vivid dramatization of the poses struck by these ‘gospel slingers,’ with their fervent gestures and efforts to ‘shout’ the people.
1960, 1975		Wentworth & Flexner DAS.