To
shout is the time-honoured tradition in
Australia to buy a
round of drinks for one's friends or workmates.
Shouting is
de rigeur in every Aussie bar and
pub, regardless of the socio-economic status or geographic location of the individual. Shouting defines the way
Australians enjoy their social drinking.
The old bush ballad "Click Go the Shears, Boys" had it:
Down by the bar the old shearer stands,
Grasping his glass in his thin bony hands...
There we leave him standing, shouting for all hands,
Whilst all around him every "shouter" stands...
The mechanics of the shout are simple. Each member of the group shouts in turn. Take orders from your friends, front the bar, and return with the drinks to appreciative comments and cheers to your health. Never ever buy a drink just for yourself in Australia. It's considered the acme of rudeness.