I. rout 1 /raʊt/ BrE AmE verb [transitive]
to defeat someone completely in a battle, competition, or election
II. rout 2 BrE AmE noun [countable usually singular, uncountable]
[ Date: 1200-1300 ; Language: Old French ; Origin: route 'group of people, defeat' , from Latin rupta , from ruptus 'broken' ]
a complete defeat in a battle, competition, or election:
The battle turned into a rout.
put somebody to rout (=defeat somebody completely)