rout 1
/rowt/ , n.
1. a defeat attended with disorderly flight; dispersal of a defeated force in complete disorder: to put an army to rout; to put reason to rout.
2. any overwhelming defeat: a rout of the home team by the state champions.
3. a tumultuous or disorderly crowd of persons.
4. the rabble or mob.
5. Law. a disturbance of the public peace by three or more persons acting together in a manner that suggests an intention to riot although they do not actually carry out the intention.
6. a large, formal evening party or social gathering.
7. Archaic. a company or band of people.
v.t.
8. to disperse in defeat and disorderly flight: to rout an army.
9. to defeat decisively: to rout an opponent in conversation.
[ 1200-50; (n.) ME rute, OF route a fraction, detachment rupta, fem. ptp. of rumpere to break; (v.) deriv. of the n. ]
Syn. 3. swarm, horde. 9. overwhelm, overcome, subdue.
rout 2
/rowt/ , v.i.
1. to root: pigs routing in the garden.
2. to poke, search, or rummage.
v.t.
3. to turn over or dig up (something) with the snout.
4. to find or get by searching, rummaging, etc. (usually fol. by out ).
5. to cause to rise from bed (often fol. by up or out ).
6. to force or drive out.
7. to hollow out or furrow, as with a scoop, gouge, or machine.
[ 1540-50; alter. of ROOT 2 ; cf. MD ruten to root out ]
rout 3
/rowt/ , v.i. Archaic.
to snore.
[ bef. 900; ME routen, OE hrutan; c. OHG hruzan ]
rout 4
/rowt, rooht/ , Chiefly Brit. Dial.
v.i. , v.t.
1. to bellow; roar.
n.
2. a bellow.
[ 1250-1300; ME rowten rauta to bellow; akin to L rudere ]