Latest Update- February 18, 2026
This is Part I of a two part pancocojams series on the African American orginated expression "be owt". Part I of this series provides definitions of and discussions about the phrase "Be Owt". Explanations of other Black Greek Lettered Organization (BGLO) acronyms and terms are also included in this post.
Part II showcases YouTube videos of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. footwork (steppin). Members of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. (also known as "Ques" and as "Omegas") coined the expression "be owt" in the early 1990s if not before then.
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/04/omega-psi-phi-fraternity-inc-be-owt.html for Part II of this post.
The content of this post is provided for historically and socio-cultural purposes.
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Thanks to all those whose comments are featured in this post.
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PANCOCOJAMS EDITOR'S NOTES ABOUT THE PHRASE "BE OWT"
If you're searching on the internet for the real meanings of colloquial expressions, you're likely to come across erroneous information. Take, for example, the expression "Be owt". According to http://www.internetslang.com/OWT-meaning-definition.asp, the word "owt" means "anything". WRONG!!!
The only entry entry for "be owt" on http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Be-Owt has several definitions. The first definition in that entry is closer to meaning of that phrase that I've read online that is used by members of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. and also (by extension?) by members of some other Black Greek letter Organizations (BGLOs)>
expression. Here's that entry with the numbers of site visitors who voted that definition up or down determining the order of that meaning- with #1 being the highest)
"Be-Owt
1.) To be out supporting a certain black greek organization events.
2.) GID, or a person interested in a black greek organization.
3.) After probating, being out for your greek organization.
-Jessyce Apr 19, 2008
-snip-
*In the context of this post, "Greek" means fraternities and sororities whose names are made from three of the letters of the Greek alphabet.
-snip-
Of the examples that Jessyce gave along with that entry, only the 3rd example is an appropriate usage of the phrase "be owt".
1.) I think Sean is a Be-owt for Omega.
2.) Those girls over there are Be-Owts for AKA.
3.) Go ahead Bruh, BE-OWT!!!!
-snip-
There are nine nationally & internationally recognized historically Black Greek lettered organizations (five fraternities and four sororities). A link to information about these "Divine Nine" organizations is found in the Related Links section below.
I've found one YouTube video of "be owt" for a sorority. Unfortunately, I neglected to document that video's link. I'm not sure if other fraternities and sororities typically use the exclamation or statement "be owt". My online research indicates that "Be owt" appears to be almost entirely reserved for members of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.
[UPDATE: September 18, 2018. Since I published this post, I've found examples of "Be owt" used by other historically Black (African American) Greek letter organization (i.e. fraternities and sorority) members besides Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. That said, I still believe that this saying came from Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. Is this true?] end of UPDATE.
My daughter, a Que Pearl* from Western Pennsylvania, has a video of a 1993 step show that was held at Slippery Rock University which is located near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. I previously watched that step show and watched it today for the purpose of verifying my memories of it. As I recalled, the exclamation "Be owt" [or "Be out"] is clearly heard several times during the Que step team performance. That exlamation was shouted by one very pumped [meaning very enthusiastic] Que while he watched a Que step routine being performed during a step show. That Que shouted "Be owt, dogs!" ("Dogs" is the Omega Psi Phi "mascot" and a complimentary referent for Ques.)
Of course, since those words were spoken, and I therefore don't know how they were spelled. I wouldn't be surprised if "owt" was first spelled the standard English way, but was later changed to "owt" to distinguish it from that adverb.
*"Que Pearls" is one name for an unofficial college based little sister group to Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.
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Like other colloquial expressions, "be owt" has more than one meaning depending on the context of its use. It's highly likely that "be owt" came from the earlier slang phrase "be out", "owt" being an updated, cool way of spelling "out" although the two words are pronounced basically the same.
Here's a 2002 urban dictionary entry for "be out" http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=be%20out
50 up, 9 down
1. To leave a location.
2. To quickly depart from a location.
"I gotta be out holmes, I'll check you later."
by El-Keter Jul 24, 2002
-snip-
However, it's important to recognize that "be owt" as used by African Americans usually doesn't mean the same thing as the meanings given for "be out". Instead, the usual African American (especially historically Black Greek letter organizations) meaning for "be owt" isto do something very well.
"Be owt!" is usually shouted as an exclamation in recognition that a fraternity brother is steppin hard [doing footwork very well] or doing something else very well.
My guess is that the phrase "to go all out" was the source of this meaning for "Be owt".However, the word "owt" ["out"] could have also been a clip of the word "outstanding" although it may have been just fortuitous happenchance that the phrase "be owt" has the same meaning as the word "outstanding".
Note: There's no history of "Be outstanding" having been a colloquial African American expression, but there is a history and present occurrences of "to go all out" being a colloquial African American expression. "To go all out" when doing something means the same thing as being hard when you do something, that is to put your maximum effort into what your doing so that it is done very well. As part of that sentiment, another expression from at least the early 1990s was "Go hard or go home". That sentiment is also packed into the "Be owt" expression.
That complimentary or declarative meaning of "Be owt" is given in the sentence "Go ahead Bruh, BE-OWT!!!! which is qiven in the urban dictionary entry that is found above. However, I think that most African Americans who would be shouting such an exclamation would probably say "Go 'head" and not "Go ahead".
When "be owt" is given as an exclamation, it has the same encouraging and complimentary meanings as "Go 'head!", "Do it!", and "Go on, with yah bad self" (with "bad" here meaning "very good".)
Latest update Feb 18, 2026.
In addition to the exclamation "Be owt", the word "owt" is also used as an adjective. (example:
"That was the owtest step I've ever seen".
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ONLINE DISCUSSION ABOUT THE PHRASE "BE OWT"
The earliest online discussion that I've found about the meaning of the expression "be owt" was a Greekchat blog. As background, this three page discussion in 2002 began when someone asked about the meaning of the phrase "be owt". The fact that the meaning of "be owt" wasn't known to that person suggests that this may have been a relatively new expression. However, much of that often heated discussion revolved around the position held by some posters that non-Greeks shouldn't know the meaning of "be owt" as it was an expression that was coined by members of the historically Black Greek lettered organization Omega Psi Phi, Inc. (non-"Greeks" - those who aren't associated with a fraternity or sorority.)
These Greekchat forum entries include several different usages for the expression "be owt". These entries also include other examples of African American English. I'll provide meanings for some of these colloquial terms or expressions after each quote.
Source #1, page #1
http://www.greekchat.com/gcforums/showthread.php?t=12725
Quote #1:
Other African American English terms in this comment:
"Old school" - In the context of this discussion, "old school" means a long time member of a sorority or fraternity, an "elder". [Of course, "Long time" might just mean someone who became a member of the organization as short as five years ago.]
An elder - same as above.
A seasoned member" of a BGLO [Black Greek Lettered Organization] means the same thing as old school and elder as given above. A "seasoned member" is in contrast to an “unseasoned” member, meaning a "neo" (from "neophyte"); a new member of the organization.
Bruh - a contemporary spelling of the word "bro" which is a clip of the word "brother". "Bruh" specifically means a member of a fraternity. Another word with thee same meaning is "frat". The comparable term for females is "soror" or "sister" (sometimes shortened to "sis" and sometimes spelled "sista")
dissed - disrespect, insult
Also "whether you are spr. 50, 60 or whatever...." means whether you joined your fraternity or sorority in the spring of 1950, 1960 or whenever.
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Quote #2
Other African American English terms in this comment:
"Whoo, it's hot up in heah" - the conversation is really heated (argumentative)
"some sorors had your back" - Some members of a particular sorority or members of any other sorority wrote comments that were supportive of you.
"welcome to the sisterhood" - Welcome to that particular sorority or, more generally, welcome to Black Greek lettered sororities in general.
"shoot" [in the context of this comment] - same as "shucks"
"hang hard" - to spend a lot of time with someone of with a group of people
Alphas, Kappas, or Sigmas - members of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc, Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc, or Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc.
Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. [also known as "Deltas"]. Deltas are often considered to be an unofficial sister organization of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.
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Source #1,page 2
http://www.greekchat.com/gcforums/showthread.php?t=12725&page=2
Editor: The quote in this blockquote is in response to a request for DST1345623, the original poster of this discussion, to identify the chapter and the location of her Delta Sigma Theta Sorority.
Quote #3:
**
Meanings of "owt" in this comment:
be "owt" at the Clave - attend
set you out = show you a good time [in the context of this comment, to make up for questioning you]
"owt bruhs" - outstanding members of Omega Psi Phi fraternity
Also, "Doggystyle"'s tag name [internet name] identifies him as a member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. because that fraternity's mascot is a dog.
"DST1345623"'s tag name [internet name] identifies her as a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.
"Clave" is a clip of the word "conclave" -a gathering of members of fraternities and sororities, or a specific fraternity and/or sorority.
****
Editor: As per comments #4 & #5 that were posted in 2007, some people continued to hold strong positions that the meaning of the term "be owt" and/or knowledge of its meaning should be reserved for Greeks only. I don't know if that position is still generally held today.
Quote #4: [in response to a question about what "be owt" means]
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Quote #5
Abbreviations used in this comment:
OP = Original Poster [the person who started the discussion]
GC = Greek chat forum
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Source #3
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hvHhsGDS7lE&t=22s "Omega Psi Phi Stepping on the Steve Harvey Show", published by KingUdobot, Mar 26, 2009
"Seriously...I don't know exactly what the term "be owt" means, but I'm pretty sure this is the definition!"
**
Reply
2. @internationalphife. 2013
"Lol probably same as "turn up" "
-snip-
One African American Vernacular English meaning of "turn up" ("turnt up") is to be excited, wild, or drunk". When the commenter wrote that "turn up" probably meaning the same thing as "be owt", I believe he or she meant that the person who was "owt" or who was encouraged to "be owt" (or to continue "being owt") was giving more than what is usually given in a performance. The person is "wild" because he (or she) is given more (being extra) in a very good way.
Another way of saying this is that that performer is "killing it" (in the positive African American meaning of that word.
****
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Visitor comments are welcome.
50 up, 9 down
1. To leave a location.
2. To quickly depart from a location.
"I gotta be out holmes, I'll check you later."
by El-Keter Jul 24, 2002
-snip-
However, it's important to recognize that "be owt" as used by African Americans usually doesn't mean the same thing as the meanings given for "be out". Instead, the usual African American (especially historically Black Greek letter organizations) meaning for "be owt" isto do something very well.
"Be owt!" is usually shouted as an exclamation in recognition that a fraternity brother is steppin hard [doing footwork very well] or doing something else very well.
My guess is that the phrase "to go all out" was the source of this meaning for "Be owt".However, the word "owt" ["out"] could have also been a clip of the word "outstanding" although it may have been just fortuitous happenchance that the phrase "be owt" has the same meaning as the word "outstanding".
Note: There's no history of "Be outstanding" having been a colloquial African American expression, but there is a history and present occurrences of "to go all out" being a colloquial African American expression. "To go all out" when doing something means the same thing as being hard when you do something, that is to put your maximum effort into what your doing so that it is done very well. As part of that sentiment, another expression from at least the early 1990s was "Go hard or go home". That sentiment is also packed into the "Be owt" expression.
That complimentary or declarative meaning of "Be owt" is given in the sentence "Go ahead Bruh, BE-OWT!!!! which is qiven in the urban dictionary entry that is found above. However, I think that most African Americans who would be shouting such an exclamation would probably say "Go 'head" and not "Go ahead".
When "be owt" is given as an exclamation, it has the same encouraging and complimentary meanings as "Go 'head!", "Do it!", and "Go on, with yah bad self" (with "bad" here meaning "very good".)
Latest update Feb 18, 2026.
In addition to the exclamation "Be owt", the word "owt" is also used as an adjective. (example:
"That was the owtest step I've ever seen".
****
ONLINE DISCUSSION ABOUT THE PHRASE "BE OWT"
The earliest online discussion that I've found about the meaning of the expression "be owt" was a Greekchat blog. As background, this three page discussion in 2002 began when someone asked about the meaning of the phrase "be owt". The fact that the meaning of "be owt" wasn't known to that person suggests that this may have been a relatively new expression. However, much of that often heated discussion revolved around the position held by some posters that non-Greeks shouldn't know the meaning of "be owt" as it was an expression that was coined by members of the historically Black Greek lettered organization Omega Psi Phi, Inc. (non-"Greeks" - those who aren't associated with a fraternity or sorority.)
These Greekchat forum entries include several different usages for the expression "be owt". These entries also include other examples of African American English. I'll provide meanings for some of these colloquial terms or expressions after each quote.
Source #1, page #1
http://www.greekchat.com/gcforums/showthread.php?t=12725
Quote #1:
01-02-2002, 10:39 AM**
NAMCAP
"OWT = to party, to hang out... he is OUT or OWT = he is the life of the party
“I think if YOU are considered OLD SCHOOL then YOU should show respect by example.....don't automatically think you should get respect cuz you are OLD SCHOOL..... I also think that WE should recognize when our ELDERS are speaking and not try to DISCREDIT ther existence....so it goes both ways... both of you (BRUH and SOROR) you know better then to dissed each other publicly like that...... bottom line, asking what OUT or OWT means is nothing crucial.... now like the BRUH said, you should know what OUT or OWT means if you truly hang...whether you are spr. 50, 60 or whatever.... as terms change they stay the same.... OUT or OWT hasn't changed much....the word has added more meaning....
Other African American English terms in this comment:
"Old school" - In the context of this discussion, "old school" means a long time member of a sorority or fraternity, an "elder". [Of course, "Long time" might just mean someone who became a member of the organization as short as five years ago.]
An elder - same as above.
A seasoned member" of a BGLO [Black Greek Lettered Organization] means the same thing as old school and elder as given above. A "seasoned member" is in contrast to an “unseasoned” member, meaning a "neo" (from "neophyte"); a new member of the organization.
Bruh - a contemporary spelling of the word "bro" which is a clip of the word "brother". "Bruh" specifically means a member of a fraternity. Another word with thee same meaning is "frat". The comparable term for females is "soror" or "sister" (sometimes shortened to "sis" and sometimes spelled "sista")
dissed - disrespect, insult
Also "whether you are spr. 50, 60 or whatever...." means whether you joined your fraternity or sorority in the spring of 1950, 1960 or whenever.
****
Quote #2
01-03-2002, 12:41 AM**
Three_Love
Location: DC Metro Area
Hot in Heah!!
Whoo, it's hot up in heah!! Well, at least you know some sorors had your back, DST1345623 (welcome to the sisterhood).
Knowing what "Owt" means doesn't have anything to do with Delta...it is about hanging out with Omegas. If you hang out with Ques, then more than likely, you know what "owt" means. Now, you can 'TRULY HANG', and hang hard, but if you're hanging hard with Alphas, Kappas, or Sigmas, you may have never heard "owt".
To "champion" who talked about discretion - shoot, "owt" is not HARDLY a secret, so no discretion was needed. I knew what "owt" meant long before I became a member of Delta Sigma Theta, because I have a lot of friends who are Omegas.
And finally, you never know, soror who asked about "owt" may have heard someone say "Be owt" before, but she may not have realized that it's spelled "OWT", but it's pronounced like "out". She may have thought it was an acronym for something, as in "oh double-U tee" rather than pronounced like the word OUT.
But of course, this is all just my 3 cents on the matter.
Other African American English terms in this comment:
"Whoo, it's hot up in heah" - the conversation is really heated (argumentative)
"some sorors had your back" - Some members of a particular sorority or members of any other sorority wrote comments that were supportive of you.
"welcome to the sisterhood" - Welcome to that particular sorority or, more generally, welcome to Black Greek lettered sororities in general.
"shoot" [in the context of this comment] - same as "shucks"
"hang hard" - to spend a lot of time with someone of with a group of people
Alphas, Kappas, or Sigmas - members of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc, Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc, or Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc.
Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. [also known as "Deltas"]. Deltas are often considered to be an unofficial sister organization of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.
****
Source #1,page 2
http://www.greekchat.com/gcforums/showthread.php?t=12725&page=2
Editor: The quote in this blockquote is in response to a request for DST1345623, the original poster of this discussion, to identify the chapter and the location of her Delta Sigma Theta Sorority.
Quote #3:
01-07-2002, 01:30 PM
DoggyStyle82
...I'm sure you must know Juggernaut and the crew there in Rock Hill.
Well, if you choose to be "owt" at the Clave in Charlotte, I'll be sure to set you "owt" for questioning you, Sis. Nice wesbsite. Y'all got a cute chapter and nice webmaster.
BTW, Psi Kappa Chapter at Winthrop are some "owt" Bruhs.
**
Meanings of "owt" in this comment:
be "owt" at the Clave - attend
set you out = show you a good time [in the context of this comment, to make up for questioning you]
"owt bruhs" - outstanding members of Omega Psi Phi fraternity
Also, "Doggystyle"'s tag name [internet name] identifies him as a member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. because that fraternity's mascot is a dog.
"DST1345623"'s tag name [internet name] identifies her as a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.
"Clave" is a clip of the word "conclave" -a gathering of members of fraternities and sororities, or a specific fraternity and/or sorority.
****
Editor: As per comments #4 & #5 that were posted in 2007, some people continued to hold strong positions that the meaning of the term "be owt" and/or knowledge of its meaning should be reserved for Greeks only. I don't know if that position is still generally held today.
Quote #4: [in response to a question about what "be owt" means]
03-03-2007, 01:50 PM
ladygreek
Location: In the fraternal Twin Cities
Originally Posted by bIueangel
Sending the poster here was cruel. Apparently, the people who did so were anxious to see her embarrassed and berated over what was most likely a very innocent question. The better response to her original question would have been, "I'm sorry, that's information that only initiated members know." That would have put an end to it right there with no feelings getting hurt.
EXCUSE ME! I sent her here, because 1) the word was originated by the Omegas--they should be the ones to decide if to answer it or not, and 2) she has posted the same question on multiple forums including MY sorority's forum. It was there I first told her to come here, because we could not answer it. Instead she posted it on GL where I reiterated that she should ask it here.
So if you think that was cruel--then this is not the board for you!
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Quote #5
...As to the OP being clueless - if she has heard the term "OWT" and knows that it has something to do with Greek life - enough to come to a Fraternity/Sorority message board to try and ascertain the meaning of it - then she should know enough to be aware that fraternities and sororities have SECRETS and that this just might be one of them. Anyone who has seen random movies with fraternities in them knows that there are secrets and rituals. You don't have to be in one to know that. I doubt that she's in high school or elementary school and is saavy enough to have been around adult men in a fraternity, have heard the term "OWT," and then figured out that this is the place to find out their secrets.**
As to whether or not it is OK to be "cruel," I don't think it is that big of a deal whether they are "cruel" or not. In this case, I don't think the responses were cruel, because as I mentioned, the OP should have figured out long ago that it probably isn't her business. If she heard it from a fraternity man, she would have had the opportunity to ask him in person. Perhaps she did and she was not given the answer - so she sought it online. Whether or not people on GC are "cruel" should not be a defining factor in whether or not they are allowed to SPEAK FREELY. Let them say whatever they want. If you think this is a hostile atmosphere, you have no obligation to continue reading. If I don't like porn, I won't look at it. I'm not going to start a crusade against someone else's free expression.
I am going to refer to a response to the first time babygirl12 posted this question. This should have been sufficient - in addition to everything else she has received:
Quote:
Originally Posted by dzdst796
If you have to ask then you don't need to know.
Abbreviations used in this comment:
OP = Original Poster [the person who started the discussion]
GC = Greek chat forum
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Source #3
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hvHhsGDS7lE&t=22s "Omega Psi Phi Stepping on the Steve Harvey Show", published by KingUdobot, Mar 26, 2009
1. @meambee, 2013
"this is my first video ever seeing Steve Harvey step, and he
was OWT"
**
Reply
2. @DaveCaresForYou, 2020
"What does OWT mean? Those brothers were the baddest most
energetic steppers I've ever seen in college"
**
Reply
3. @meambee, 2020
"@DaveCaresForYou n the context of this post, "Greek"
means fraternities and sororities ... The second meaning for "Be owt"
is "to do something very well" "Be owt!" "
Source #4
From https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sFpYOG2L_VU "It's "SHO TYME", published by pluck80, May 5, 2008 [video of Que :ShoTyme" demonstrating the 1985 Stillman University hopping style]
"Seriously...I don't know exactly what the term "be owt" means, but I'm pretty sure this is the definition!"
**
Reply
2. @internationalphife. 2013
"Lol probably same as "turn up" "
-snip-
One African American Vernacular English meaning of "turn up" ("turnt up") is to be excited, wild, or drunk". When the commenter wrote that "turn up" probably meaning the same thing as "be owt", I believe he or she meant that the person who was "owt" or who was encouraged to "be owt" (or to continue "being owt") was giving more than what is usually given in a performance. The person is "wild" because he (or she) is given more (being extra) in a very good way.
Another way of saying this is that that performer is "killing it" (in the positive African American meaning of that word.
****
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