Webster's English Dictionary

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rout

Cross references:
  1. crowd                  2. conquer               
 
1. rout \'rau.t\ n [ME route, fr. MF, troop, defeat, fr. (assumed) VL 
   rupta, fr. L, fe]m. of ruptus, pp. of rumpere to break - more at REAVE 1: 
   MOB, THRONG; specif : RABBLE  2a: DISTURBANCE  archaic  2b: FUSS  3: a 
   fashionable gathering : RECEPTION 
2. rout vi [ME rowten, fr. ON rauta; akin to OE re-otan to weep, L Xrudere 
   to roar dial chiefly Brit  : to low loudly : BELLOW - used of cattle 
3. rout vb [alter. of 3root] 1: to poke around with the snout : ROOT  2: to 
   search haphazardly : RUMMAGE  archaic  1a: to dig up with the snout  1b: to 
   gouge out or make a furrow in (as wood or metal); specif :  to cut away (as 
   blank parts) from a printing surface (as an engraving or electrotype) with 
   a router 2a: to expel by force : EJECT - usu. used with out  2b: to cause 
   to emerge esp. from bed : ROUSE  3: to come up with : DISCOVER, UNCOVER 
4. rout n [MF route troop, defeat] 1: a state of wild confusion or 
   disorderly retreat  2a: a disastrous defeat : DEBACLE  2b: a precipitate 
   flight  2c: an act or instance of routing 
5. rout vt 1a: to disorganize completely : DEMORALIZE; esp : to put t o 
   precipitate flight 1b: to defeat decisively : OVERWHELM  2: to drive out : 
   DISPEL