rout1

 
Pronunciation: /raʊt/

noun

  • 1a disorderly retreat of defeated troops: the retreat degenerated into a rout
  • a decisive defeat: the party lost more than half their seats in the rout
  • 2 Law, dated an assembly of people who have made a move towards committing an illegal act which would constitute an offence of riot.
  • archaic a disorderly or tumultuous crowd of people: a rout of strangers ought not to be admitted
  • 3 archaic a large evening party or reception.

verb

[with object]
  • 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

Origin:

Middle English: ultimately based on Latin ruptus 'broken', from the verb rumpere; sense 1 and the verb (late 16th century) are from obsolete French route, probably from Italian rotta 'break-up of an army'; the other senses are via Anglo-Norman French rute