routousadj.
/ˈraʊtəs/, U.S. /ˈraʊdəs/ Now rare.
Originally: disorderly, tumultuous; unruly, noisy. In later use: (Law) of or relating to assembly in a rout (rout n.1 4); (of an assembly) of the nature of rout; (of a person) taking part in a rout.
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society > law > rule of law > lawlessness > specific offences > [adjective] > rout
routous?a1589
?a1589 in J. Wild Tetney, Lincs. (1901) 41 (modernized text) In very riotous, routous, forcible and disobedient manner with force and arms.
1632 in S. R. Gardiner Rep. Cases Star Chamber & High Comm. (1886) 139 Thomas Broughton, joyning..with divers others.., came in a riotous and routous manner armed to the said chappell.
1672 Life & Death of J. Alleine (1838) vi. 64 As for riotous, routous and seditious assemblies he did abhor them.
1757 P. Bacon Insignificants 39 A new coined word to signify a noisy, tumultuary, riotous, routous assembly.
1786 Court Gen. Sessions 16 May in J. Lockwood Westfield & its Hist. Infl. (1922) ix. 184 Presented..for being Riotous Routous & Disturbers of the Peace of the Commonwealth.
1841 Times 5 July 4/2 Whether the successor of Lord Normanby will dare to leave the whole country [sc. Ireland] in the power of a routous and ruffianly chain of mobs.
1858 T. De Quincey Marquess Wellesley in Select. Grave & Gay VIII. 29 To be routous is nothing like so criminal in law as to be riotous. I never go beyond the routous point.
1884 Rep. Commissioners appointed to consolidate & revise Statutes of Canada I. 582 Any request or demand of any agent or servant of the Government in a riotous, routous, disorderly or threatening manner.
1903 ‘Dilettante’ Seria Ludo 31 Each of them had thrown bricks, each had been riotous and routous; and yet he was convicted, and she was acquitted.
2009 J. Boice NoVA 4 The routous clanging so silenced now.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2011; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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adj.?a1589