rout Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun a disorderly crowd of people
    rabble; mob.
  2. noun an overwhelming defeat
  3. verb cause to flee
    rout out; expel.
    • rout out the fighters from their caves
  4. verb dig with the snout
    root; rootle.
    • the pig was rooting for truffles
  5. verb make a groove in
    gouge.
  6. verb defeat disastrously
    spreadeagle; spread-eagle.

WordNet

Rout intransitive verb
Etymology
AS. hr&umac;tan.
Definitions
  1. To roar; to bellow; to snort; to snore loudly. Obs. or Scot. Chaucer.
Rout noun
Definitions
  1. A bellowing; a shouting; noise; clamor; uproar; disturbance; tumult. Shak.
    This new book the whole world makes such a rout about. Sterne.
    "My child, it is not well," I said, "Among the graves to shout; To laugh and play among the dead, And make this noisy rout." Trench.
Rout transitive verb
Etymology
A variant of root.
Definitions
  1. To scoop out with a gouge or other tool; to furrow.
Rout intransitive verb
Definitions
  1. To search or root in the ground, as a swine. Edwards.
Rout noun
Etymology
OF. route, LL. rupta, properly, a breaking, fr. L. ruptus, p.p. of rumpere to break. See Rupture, reave, and cf. Rote repetition of forms, Route. In some senses this word has been confused with rout a bellowing, an uproar.
Definitions
  1. A troop; a throng; a company; an assembly; especially, a traveling company or throng. Obs. "A route of ratones [rats]." Piers Plowman. "A great solemn route." Chaucer.
    And ever he rode the hinderest of the route. Chaucer.
    A rout of people there assembled were. Spenser.
  2. A disorderly and tumultuous crowd; a mob; hence, the rabble; the herd of common people.
    the endless routs of wretched thralls. Spenser.
    The ringleader and head of all this rout. Shak.
    Nor do I name of men the common rout. Milton.
  3. The state of being disorganized and thrown into confusion; -- said especially of an army defeated, broken in pieces, and put to flight in disorder or panic; also, the act of defeating and breaking up an army; as, the rout of the enemy was complete.
    thy army . . . Dispersed in rout, betook them all to fly. Daniel.
    To these giad conquest, murderous rout to those. pope.
  4. (Law) A disturbance of the peace by persons assembled together with intent to do a thing which, if executed, would make them rioters, and actually making a motion toward the executing thereof. Wharton.
  5. A fashionable assembly, or large evening party. "At routs and dances." Landor.
Rout transitive verb
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Routed; present participle & verbal noun Routing
Definitions
  1. To break the ranks of, as troops, and put them to flight in disorder; to put to rout.
    That party . . . that charged the Scots, so totally routed and defeated their whole army, that they fied. Clarendon.
    Syn. -- To defeat; discomfit; overpower; overthrow.
Rout intransitive verb
Definitions
  1. To assemble in a crowd, whether orderly or disorderly; to collect in company. obs. Bacon.
    In all that land no Christian[s] durste route. Chaucer.

Webster 1913