Merriam-Webster's Collegiate® Dictionary, 11th Edition
ROUT
I. noun see: reave
Date: 13th century
a crowd of people ; throng ,
2. disturbance , fuss , 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
to low loudly ; bellow ,
III. verb
Etymology: alteration of 3root
Date: circa 1564
intransitive verb to poke around with the snout ; root , to search haphazardly, transitive verb
1. to dig up with the snout, to gouge out or make a furrow in (as wood or metal),
2. to force out as if by digging, to cause to emerge especially from bed, to come up with ; uncover ,
IV. noun
Etymology: Middle French route defeat, perhaps from mettre en route to set going, put into motion
Date: 1598
a state of wild confusion or disorderly retreat,
2. a disastrous defeat ; debacle , a precipitate flight,
V. transitive verb
Date: circa 1600
1. to disorganize completely ; demoralize , to put to precipitate flight, to defeat decisively or disastrously , to drive out ; dispel