ROUT, noun

1. A rabble; a clamorous multitude; a tumultuous crowd; as a rout of people assembled.

The endless routs of wretched thralls.

2. In law, a rout is where three persons or more meet to do an unlawful act upon a common quarrel, as forcibly to break down fences on a right claimed of common or of way, and make some advances towards it.

3. A select company; a party for gaming.

ROUT, noun [This is a corruption of the Latin ruptus, from rumpo, to break.]

The breaking or defeat of an army or band of troops, or the disorder and confusion of troops thus defeated and put to flight.

ROUT, verb transitive To break the ranks of troops and put them to flight in disorder; to defeat and throw into confusion.

The king's horse - routed and defeated the whole army.

ROUT, verb intransitive To assemble in a clamorous and tumultuous crowd. [Not in use.]

ROUT, noun [It belongs to the family of ride and Latin gradior; properly a going or passing.]

The course or way which is traveled or passed, or to be passed; a passing; a course; a march.

Wide through the furzy field their rout they take.

ROUT and road are not synonymous.

We say, to mend or repair a road, but not to mend a rout We use rout for a course of passing, and not without reference to the passing of some person or body of men; but rout is not the road itself.

ROUT, verb intransitive To snore. obsolete

ROUT, verb transitive [for root.] To turn up the ground with the snout; to search. [Not in use.]