scouts
Advance party members
Scouts are people sent ahead to gather information—about enemy positions, terrain, or talent.
A military scout reconnoiters.
A talent scout searches for promising athletes or performers: The scouts loved his fastball.
To scout is to search or explore: We scouted locations for the wedding.
If you scout around, you look for something: I'll scout around for a better deal. (Capitalized Scouts refers to the youth organization.)
Regular surveillance route
- surveillanceSystematic observation of subjects
- intelligenceMental ability, cognitive capacity
- sniperConcealed precision shooter
- rangerProtected land patroller
pathfinder · recon · perimeter · flank · terrain · report · binoculars · stealth
Being the first through
- pathfindingCalculating efficient travel routes
- expeditionOrganized exploratory journey
- wildernessUncultivated, uninhabited natural region
- navigationDetermining position and course
compass · map · terrain · charting · frontier · discovery · surveying · uncharted
Habitual behavioral directions
- schemeCalculated strategy, often secretive
- personnelWorkers at an organization
- pregameBefore the main event
- preparationArranging things in advance
Seeking new personnel
- prospectsExpected future outcomes
- draftPreliminary version of text
- combineMerge, or harvesting machine
- tryoutCompetitive evaluation for selection
evaluation · signing · workout · measurables · potential · upside · developmental · sleeper
patrol
Regular surveillance route
- surveillanceSystematic observation of subjects
- intelligenceMental ability, cognitive capacity
- sniperConcealed precision shooter
ranger · pathfinder · recon · perimeter · flank · terrain · report · binoculars · stealth · infiltration
trailblazing
Being the first through
- pathfindingCalculating efficient travel routes
- expeditionOrganized exploratory journey
- wildernessUncultivated, uninhabited natural region
navigation · compass · map · terrain · charting · frontier · discovery · surveying · uncharted · guide
tendencies
Habitual behavioral directions
recruitment
Seeking new personnel
- prospectsExpected future outcomes
- draftPreliminary version of text
- combineMerge, or harvesting machine
tryout · evaluation · signing · workout · measurables · potential · upside · developmental · sleeper · commit
- footballfootball, touchdown, field goal, quarterback, end zone
- Old Westcowboy, cowboys, cowgirl, sheriff, sheriffs
- Scoutingbadges, campfires, court of honor, merit badge, merit badges
- caravanscamel caravans, camel caravan, caravan route, caravan routes, caravan leader
- frontierfrontier, pioneer, pioneers, settlers, settler
- frontier lifehomesteaders, farmer, homesteading, shepherd, pioneer women
scoutsrear guard
Troops covering a retreat
reserves · infantry · combat units · rank and file · regulars
- boy scoutDismissively naive moralist
- Girl ScoutsAmerican youth organization for girls
- scout's honorEmphatic promise of honesty
- talent scoutRecruiter of promising performers
- scout outExplore in advance
- scout campYouth outdoor program facility
scout, scouting, scouted, scout out, scouter, scoutmaster, scoutmasters, boyscout, scoutcraft