I. ˈrau̇t, usu -d.+V intransitive verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: Middle English routen, from Old English hrūtan; akin to Old High German hrūzan to snore, Old Norse hrjōta, and probably to Old English hrot thick fluid — more at coryza
archaic : snore
II. noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English rute, route, from Middle French route, troop, band, defeat, from (assumed) Vulgar Latin rupta, from Latin, feminine of ruptus, past participle of rumpere to break — more at reave
1.
a. : a crowd of people : mob , throng
succeeded by a rout of rabbis, reverends, and monsignors — Dwight MacDonald
specifically : rabble
the butler, the parlormaid, and the rout from belowstairs — J.C.Trewin
b. or route “ archaic : a company of animals : flock
restless routs of sheep — John Clare
c. : a large number : multitude
the rout of series of books and pamphlets on the war — Times Literary Supplement
d. : number , herd
you will not swell the rout of lads that wore their honors out — A.E.Housman
a vulgar comment … by the common rout — Shakespeare
2. : a disturbance of the peace by persons assembled with intent to do something and actually making a motion toward its execution which if executed would make them rioters
3. archaic
a. : disturbance , uproar
b. : fuss
make such a rout about it — Harriet Granville
4. : a fashionable gathering : reception , soiree
foreign potentates at diplomatic routs — Robert Rice
Synonyms: see crowd
III. verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: Middle English rowten, from Old Norse rauta; akin to Old English rēotan to cry, weep, Old High German riozan, Latin rudere to roar, Sanskrit roditi he weeps, roars, and probably to Old English rēon to lament — more at rumor
intransitive verb
1. dialect chiefly Britain : to low loudly : bawl , bellow — used of cattle
2. : to make a loud noise : roar
transitive verb
dialect chiefly Britain : to shout out : roar
have no … inclination to rout out my name to the countryside — R.L.Stevenson
IV. noun
( -s )
dialect chiefly Britain : a loud noise : clamor , uproar
V. verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: alteration of root (III)
intransitive verb
1. : to poke around with the snout : root
pigs routing in the earth
2. : to make a haphazard search : rummage
routed in a corner and came back with … thread and needle — G.W.Brace
3. : to perform a gouging operation
carve, rout , shape and grind on this versatile machine — advt
transitive verb
1.
a. archaic : to dig up with the snout
routing up the moss … in search of acorns — Peter Beckford
b. : to gouge out or make a furrow in: as
(1) : to scoop out or cut away (as blank parts) from a printing surface (as an engraving or electrotype) with a router
(2) : to remove (as metal or wood) with a gouge or other hand-operated cutting tool
2.
a. : to expel by force : eject — usually used with out
whole families are … routed out of house and home — Arthur Murphy
b. : to cause to emerge especially from bed : drag out : roust
routed … from his garret by loud rings at the bell — Floyd Dell
routed me out of bed to help place the target — A.C.Fisher
rout the enemies of Calvinism from the inmost keep of their stronghold — V.L.Parrington
3. : to dig out : come up with : uncover
went … to his cellar and routed out a bottle of port — John Masefield
VI. noun
( -s )
: an act, process, or result of routing
this house, with its strange clutter … gives the effect of rout — Howard Griffin
VII. noun
( -s )
Etymology: probably of Scandinavian origin; akin to Old Norse hrota barnacle goose
chiefly dialect : brant
VIII. noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle French route troop, band, defeat — more at rout II
1. : a state of wild confusion or disorderly retreat
charging tanks put the infantry to rout
reason had been clearly put to rout by nineteenth-century Romanticism — Edmund Wilson
2.
a. : a disastrous defeat : debacle
the battle became a rout , a shambles — American Guide Series: Texas
b. : a precipitate flight
everybody was for saving his own skin in this frantic rout — L.C.Douglas
c. : an act or instance of routing
the rout of the Democrats … resulted in the candidacy of Republican incumbents — V.O.Key
most crushing defeat since its 61-0 rout last year
3. archaic : a fleeing force
disordered the rank … whereupon their men were in routs — Mary Wroth
IX. transitive verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
1.
a. : to disorganize completely : put to precipitate flight : demoralize , stampede
the large and well-mechanized army … had been routed and was in part surrounded — Upton Sinclair
charged the main body of Russian cavalry … and routed it — Al Newman
b. : to defeat decisively : overwhelm
suffered the discomfiture of seeing their party routed at the polls — A.N.Holcombe
the team routed their traditional Thanksgiving Day rivals 41-0
2. : to drive out : cause to disappear : dispel
virtues are discredited and decency is routed — Frank Mac Shane
Synonyms: see conquer