rout

I. noun Etymology: Middle English route band, company of soldiers, crowd, from Anglo-French rute band, from Vulgar Latin *rupta, from Latin, feminine of ruptus, past participle of rumpere to break — more at reave Date: 13th century 1. a crowd of people ; throng; specifically rabble 2b 2. a. disturbance b. archaic fuss 3. a fashionable gathering II. intransitive verb Etymology: Middle English rowten, from Old Norse rauta; akin to Old English rēotan to weep, Latin rudere to roar Date: 14th century dialect chiefly British to low loudly ; bellow — used of cattle III. verb Etymology: alteration of 3root Date: circa 1564 intransitive verb 1. to poke around with the snout ; root <

pigs routing in the earth

> 2. to search haphazardly transitive verb 1. a. archaic to dig up with the snout b. to gouge out or make a furrow in (as wood or metal) 2. a. to force out as if by digging — usually used with out b. to cause to emerge especially from bed 3. to come up with ; uncover <

scouts…routing out new talent — Carrie Donovan

> IV. noun Etymology: Middle French route defeat, perhaps from mettre en route to set going, put into motion Date: 1598 1. a state of wild confusion or disorderly retreat 2. a. a disastrous defeat ; debacle b. a precipitate flight V. transitive verb Date: circa 1600 1. a. to disorganize completely ; demoralize b. to put to precipitate flight c. to defeat decisively or disastrously <

the discomfiture of seeing their party routed at the polls — A. N. Holcombe

> 2. to drive out ; dispel