Milton.
2. Very great; violent; astounding; as, a rousing fire; a rousing lie.
[Colloq.]
Rous"ing*ly, adv. In a rousing manner.
Rous*sette" (?), n. [F.; -- so called in allusion to the color. See
Russet.] 1. (Zoöl.) A fruit bat, especially the large species (Pieropus
vulgaris) inhabiting the islands of the Indian ocean. It measures about
a yard across the expanded wings.
2. (Zoöl.) Any small shark of the genus Scyllium; -- called also
dogfish. See Dogfish.
Roust (roust), v. t. To rouse; to disturb; as, to roust one out. [Prov.
Eng. & Local, U.S.]
Roust, n. [Cf. Icel. röst an estuary.] A strong tide or current,
especially in a narrow channel. [Written also rost, and roost.]
Jamieson.
Roust"a*bout` (?), n. [Etymol. uncertain.] A laborer, especially a deck
hand, on a river steamboat, who moves the cargo, loads and unloads
wood, and the like; in an opprobrious sense, a shiftless vagrant who
lives by chance jobs. [Western U.S.]
Rout (rout), v. i. [AS. hrtan.] To roar; to bellow; to snort; to snore
loudly. [Obs. or Scot.] Chaucer.
Rout, n. A bellowing; a shouting; noise; clamor; uproar; disturbance;
tumult. Shak.
This new book the whole world makes such a rout about.
Sterne.
"My child, it is not well," I said, "Among the graves to shout; To
laugh and play among the dead, And make this noisy rout."
Trench.
Rout, v. t. [A variant of root.] To scoop out with a gouge or other
tool; to furrow.
To rout out (a) To turn up to view, as if by rooting; to discover; to
find. (b) To turn out by force or compulsion; as, to rout people out of
bed. [Colloq.]
Rout, v. i. To search or root in the ground, as a swine. Edwards.
Rout, n. [OF. route, LL. rupta, properly, a breaking, fr. L. ruptus, p.
p. of rumpere to break. See Rupture, reave, and cf. Rote repetition of
forms, Route. In some senses this word has been confused with rout a
bellowing, an uproar.] [Formerly spelled also route.] 1. A troop; a
throng; a company; an assembly; especially, a traveling company or
throng. [Obs.] "A route of ratones [rats]." Piers Plowman. "A great
solemn route." Chaucer.
And ever he rode the hinderest of the route.
Chaucer.
A rout of people there assembled were.
Spenser.
2. A disorderly and tumultuous crowd; a mob; hence, the rabble; the
herd of common people.
the endless routs of wretched thralls.
Spenser.
The ringleader and head of all this rout.
Shak.
Nor do I name of men the common rout.
Milton.
3. The state of being disorganized and thrown into confusion; -- said
especially of an army defeated, broken in pieces, and put to flight in
disorder or panic; also, the act of defeating and breaking up an army;
as, the rout of the enemy was complete.
thy army . . . Dispersed in rout, betook them all to fly.
Daniel.
To these giad conquest, murderous rout to those.
pope.
4. (Law) A disturbance of the peace by persons assembled together with
intent to do a thing which, if executed, would make them rioters, and
actually making a motion toward the executing thereof. Wharton.
5. A fashionable assembly, or large evening party. "At routs and
dances." Landor.
To put to rout, to defeat and throw into confusion; to overthrow and
put to flight.
Rout, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Routed; p. pr. & vb. n. Routing.] To break
the ranks of, as troops, and put them to flight in disorder; to put to
rout.
That party . . . that charged the Scots, so totally routed and
defeated their whole army, that they fied.
Clarendon.
Syn. -- To defeat; discomfit; overpower; overthrow.
Rout, v. i. To assemble in a crowd, whether orderly or disorderly; to
collect in company. [obs.] Bacon.
In all that land no Christian[s] durste route.
Chaucer.
Route (rt or rout; 277), n. [OE. & F. route, OF. rote, fr. L. rupta
(sc. via), fr. ruptus, p. p. of rumpere to break; hence, literally, a
broken or beaten way or path. See Rout, and cf. Rut a track.] The
course or way which is traveled or passed, or is to be passed; a
passing; a course; a road or path; a march.
Wide through the furzy field their route they take.
Gay.
Rout"er (?), n. (Carp.) (a) A plane made like a spokeshave, for working
the inside edges of circular sashes. (b) A plane with a hooked tool
protruding far below the sole, for smoothing the bottom of a cavity.
Routhe (?), n. Ruth; sorrow. [Obs.] Chaucer.
Rou"ti*na*ry (?), a. Involving, or pertaining to, routine; ordinary;
customary. [R.] Emerson.
Rou*tine" (?), n. [F., fr. route a path, way, road. See Route,
Roterepetition.] 1. A round of business, amusement, or pleasure, daily
or frequently pursued; especially, a course of business or offical
duties regularly or frequently returning.
2. Any regular course of action or procedure rigidly adhered to by the
mere force of habit.
Rou*tin""ism (?), n. the practice of doing things with
undiscriminating, mechanical regularity.
Rou*tin"ist, n. One who habituated to a routine.