What does laut mean in German?

"Laut" in German has several meanings depending on the context:

1. Adjective:

* Loud: This is the most common meaning. Example: "Die Musik ist zu laut." (The music is too loud.)

* Aloud: Example: "Lies den Text laut vor." (Read the text aloud.)

2. Noun:

* Noise: Example: "Der Laut der Sirene." (The sound of the siren.)

3. Preposition:

* According to: Example: "Laut dem Bericht..." (According to the report...)

4. Conjunction:

* As: Example: "Laut seinem Anwalt..." (According to his lawyer...)

To understand the meaning of "laut" in a specific context, consider the surrounding words and the overall sentence structure.