1 C1 idiomatic informal
To silence a speaker or performer by jeering, hooting, and making mocking noises
"The politician was hooted down before he could finish his opening remarks."
separable
hoot down
C1 informal separable transitive
To silence or embarrass a speaker by making mocking noises, hooting, or jeering
In plain English
Stop someone from speaking by laughing at them and making loud, mocking noises
What does "hoot down" mean?
One main meaning — here's how to use it.
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To make the sound of a hoot (like an owl) directed downward at someone to make them stop
Actually means
Stop someone from speaking by laughing at them and making loud, mocking noises
Usage tip
Mostly British English. Implies collective ridicule — an audience or group hooting (making owl-like or derisive sounds) to drown out a speaker they disagree with or find ridiculous.
Words that pair with "hoot down"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
speaker politician performer audience crowd stage
How to conjugate "hoot down"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
hoot down
I/you/we/they
3rd person
hoots down
he/she/it
Past simple
hooted down
yesterday
Past participle
hooted down
have + pp
-ing form
hooting down
continuous
Hear "hoot down" in the wild
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Other ways to say "hoot down"
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