Word: rout Part of Speech: noun Etymology: The noun is derived from Middle English rout, route (“group of people associated with one another, company; entourage, retinue; army; group of soldiers; group of pirates; large number of people, crowd; throng; group of disreputable people, mob; riot; group of animals; group of objects; proper condition or manner”) [and other forms], from Anglo-Norman route, rute, Middle French rote, route, Old French rote, route, rute (“group of people, company; group of armed people; group of criminals; group of cattle”) (modern French route (obsolete)), from Latin rupta (compare Late Latin ruta, rutta (“group of marauders; riot; unlawful assembly”)), the feminine of ruptus (“broken; burst, ruptured”), the perfect passive participle of rumpō (“to break, burst, rupture, tear; to force open; (figurative) to annul; to destroy; to interrupt”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *Hrewp- (“to break; to tear (up)”). The English word is a doublet of route. The verb is derived from Middle English routen (“to assemble, congregate; of animals: to herd together; to regroup, make a stand against; to be riotous, to riot”) [and other forms], from rout, route (noun); see above. Pronunciation: /ɹaʊt/, [ɹʌʊt] 1. A group of people; a crowd, a throng, a troop; in particular (archaic), a group of people accompanying or travelling with someone. Labels: countable, obsolete Example: A route of people there aſſembled were, / Of euery ſort and nation vnder skye, [...] Example: The Incorporations this year did moſtly conſiſt of Cantabrigians who had lately come to this University for preferment from the Viſitors, when the great rout of Royalliſts were by then made in this University. 2. A group of animals, especially one which is lively or unruly, or made up of wild animals such as wolves; a flock, a herd, a pack. Labels: archaic, countable 3. A group of disorganized things. Labels: countable 4. A group of (often violent) criminals or gangsters; such people as a class; (more generally) a disorderly and tumultuous crowd, a mob; hence (archaic, preceded by the), the common people as a group, the rabble. Labels: countable Example: Beſides the endleſſe routs of wretched thralles, / VVhich thether were aſſembled day by day, / From all the world after their wofull falles, / Through wicked pride, and waſted welthes decay. Example: The Ring-leader and Head of all this Rout, / Haue practis'd dangerouſly againſt your State, / Dealing with Witches and with Coniurers, [...] 5. A fashionable assembly; a large evening party, a soirée. Labels: countable, dated Example: The Ducheſs or Marlborough had one of the grandeſt routs that has been given for ſome time, almoſt the whole of the firſt people of rank and faſhion in England being preſent. This being a new birth to conviviality in Marlborough Houſe, and the firſt rout for theſe ſeven laſt years, it was uncommonly crouded. Example: Come then, ſweet ſpring's delights to taſte; / No longer, my Maria, waſte / Thoſe hours in routs and noiſe, [...] 6. A noisy disturbance; also, a disorderly argument or fight, a brawl; (uncountable) disturbance of the peace, commotion, tumult. Labels: archaic, countable Example: "Nay, child! it is not well," I said, / "Among the graves to shout; / To laugh and play among the dead, / And make this noisy rout." 7. An illegal assembly of people; specifically, three or more people who have come together intending to do something illegal, and who have taken steps towards this, regarded as more serious than an unlawful assembly but not as serious as a riot; the act of assembling in this manner. Labels: countable, historical