||Ro`ta*to"ri*a (?), n. pl. [NL.] (Zoöl.) Same as Rotifera.
Ro"ta*to*ry (?), a. [Cf. F. rotatoire. See Rotate, Rotary.] 1. Turning
as on an axis; rotary.
2. Going in a circle; following in rotation or succession; as, rotatory
assembles. Burke.
3. (Opt.) Producing rotation of the plane of polarization; as, the
rotatory power of bodies on light. See the Note under polarization.
Nichol.
Ro"ta*to*ry, n. (Zoöl.) A rotifer. [R.] Kirby.
Rotche (?), n. (Zoöl.) A very small arctic sea bird (Mergulus alle, or
Alle alle) common on both coasts of the Atlantic in winter; -- called
also little auk, dovekie, rotch, rotchie, and sea dove.
Rotch"et (?), n. (Zoöl.) The European red gurnard (Trigla pini).
Rote (?), n. A root. [Obs.] Chaucer.
Rote (?), n. [OE. rote, probably of German origin; cf. MHG. rotte, OHG.
rota, hrota, LL. chrotta. Cf. Crowd a kind of violin.] (Mus.) A kind of
guitar, the notes of which were produced by a small wheel or wheel-like
arrangement; an instrument similar to the hurdy-gurdy.
Well could he sing and play on a rote.
Chaucer.
extracting mistuned dirges from their harps, crowds, and rotes.
Sir W. Scott.
Rote, n. [Cf. Rut roaring.] The noise produced by the surf of the sea
dashing upon the shore. See Rut.
Rote, n. [OF. rote, F. route, road, path. See Route, and cf. Rut a
furrow, Routine.] A frequent repetition of forms of speech without
attention to the meaning; mere repetition; as, to learn rules by rote.
Swift.
till he the first verse could [i. e., knew] all by rote.
Chaucer.
Thy love did read by rote, and could not spell.
Shak.
Rote, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Roted; p. pr. & vb. n. Roting.] To learn or
repeat by rote. [Obs.] Shak.
Rote, v. i. To go out by rotation or succession; to rotate. [Obs.] Z.
Grey.
Ro*tel"la (?), n. [NL., dim. of rota wheel; cf. LL. rotella a little
whell.] (Zoöl.) Any one of numerous species of small, polished,
brightcolored gastropods of the genus Rotella, native of tropical seas.