rout¹ / rout/ • n. 1. a disorderly retreat of defeated troops: the retreat degenerated into a rout | the army was in a state of demoralization verging on rout. ∎  a decisive defeat: the party lost more than half their seats in the rout.2. dated Law an assembly of people who have made a move toward committing an illegal act that would constitute an offense of riot. ∎ archaic a disorderly or tumultuous crowd of people: a rout of strangers ought not to be admitted.3. Brit., archaic a large evening party or reception.• v. [tr.] defeat and cause to retreat in disorder: in a matter of minutes the attackers were routed.PHRASES: put to rout put to flight; defeat utterly: I once put a gang to rout.rout² • v. 1. [tr.] cut a groove, or any pattern not extending to the edges, in (a wooden or metal surface): you routed each plank all along its length.2. another term for root² . ∎  find (someone or something), or force them from a place: Simon routed him from the stable.

rout1 company, troop; disorderly company XIII; †the r., the common herd XIV; riot, uproar XV; fashionable gathering XVIII. ME. ro(u)te — AN. rute, OF. route :- Rom. *rupta, sb. use of fem. of pp. of L. rumpere break. Cf. next.

rout2 disorderly retreat. XVI. — F. †route (in the sense of déroute), prob. — It. rotta breakage, discomfiture of an army:- Rom. *rupta (see prec.).
Hence vb. XVI.