\Rout\ (rout), v. i. [AS. hr[=u]tan.]
To roar; to bellow; to snort; to snore loudly. [Obs. or
Scot.] --Chaucer.

\Rout\, n.
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\, v. t. [A variant of root.]
To scoop out with a gouge or other tool; to furrow.
{To rout out}
(a) To turn up to view, as if by rooting; to discover; to
    find.
(b) To turn out by force or compulsion; as, to rout people
    out of bed. [Colloq.]

\Rout\, v. i.
To search or root in the ground, as a swine. --Edwards.

\Rout\, n. [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.] [Formerly spelled also {route}.]
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.
{To put to rout}, to defeat and throw into confusion; to
   overthrow and put to flight.

\Rout\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Routed}; p. pr. & vb. n.
{Routing}.]
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\, v. i.
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.