rote

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 ]