n. A root. [ Obs. ] Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OE. rote, probably of German origin; cf. MHG. rotte, OHG. rota, hrota, LL. chrotta. Cf. Crowd a kind of violin. ] (Mus.) A kind of guitar, the notes of which were produced by a small wheel or wheel-like arrangement; an instrument similar to the hurdy-gurdy. [ 1913 Webster ]

Well could he sing and play on a rote. Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

extracting mistuned dirges from their harps, crowds, and rotes. Sir W. Scott. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. Rut roaring. ] The noise produced by the surf of the sea dashing upon the shore. See Rut. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OF. rote, F. route, road, path. See Route, and cf. Rut a furrow, Routine. ] A frequent repetition of forms of speech without attention to the meaning; mere repetition; as, to learn rules by rote. Swift. [ 1913 Webster ]

till he the first verse could [ i. e., knew ] all by rote. Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

Thy love did read by rote, and could not spell. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Roted; p. pr. & vb. n. Roting. ] To learn or repeat by rote. [ Obs. ] Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. To go out by rotation or succession; to rotate. [ Obs. ] Z. Grey. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ NL., dim. of rota wheel; cf. LL. rotella a little whell. ] (Zool.) Any one of numerous species of small, polished, brightcolored gastropods of the genus Rotella, native of tropical seas. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A chemical substance (C23H22O6) extracted from the root of the derris (Derris elliptica, Derris malaccensis, and other species), used in treatment of scabies and as an insecticide for external infestation by chiggers in human medicine, and in veterinary medicine for the treatment of infestations with fleas, ticks, and lice. [ PJC ]