Part 423

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 ." 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.