noun

• (countable, obsolete) A group of people; a crowd, a throng, a troop; in particular (archaic), a group of people accompanying or travelling with someone.
  "A route of people there aſſembled were, / Of euery ſort and nation vnder skye, [...]"
• (countable, archaic) 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.
• (countable) A group of disorganized things.
• (countable) 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.
  "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."

verb

• (intransitive, obsolete) To assemble in a crowd, whether orderly or disorderly; to collect in company.
  "Whereupon the meaner ſort [of people] routed together, and ſuddenly aſſayling the Earle [i.e., Henry Percy, 4th Earl of Northumberland] in his Houſe, ſlew him, and diuers of his ſeruants."

noun

• (originally military) The act of completely defeating an army or other enemy force, causing it to retreat in a disorganized manner; (by extension) in politics, sport, etc.: a convincing defeat; a thrashing, a trouncing.
  "The rout of the enemy was complete."
• (military, also figurative) The retreat of an enemy force, etc., in this manner; also (archaic, rare), the army, enemy force, etc., so retreating.
  "[T]hy Army preſently, / (As if they could not ſtand, when thou wert downe) / Diſperſt in rout, betooke them all to flie: [...]"

verb

• (transitive) To completely defeat and force into disorderly retreat (an enemy force, opponent in sport, etc.).
  "[T]hat Party of the King's Horſe which Charged the Scots, ſo totally Routed and defeated their whole Army, that they fled all ways for many Miles together, and were knock'd on the head, and taken Priſoners by the Country, [...]"
• (intransitive, archaic) To retreat from a confrontation in disorder.
  "The Ra division broke in panic and fled up against the just-arriving Amon division, which as a result began to rout as well."