Rout vs route:

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A rout is commonly defined as a chaotic and disorderly retreat or withdrawal of troops from a battlefield, resulting in the victory of the opposing party, or following defeat, a collapse of discipline, or poor morale.

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Main Entry: 1route
Pronunciation: \'rüt, 'rau?tFunction: noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French rute, from Vulgar Latin *rupta (via), literally, broken way, from Latin rupta, feminine of ruptus, past participle
Date: 13th century
1 a : a traveled way : highway <the main route north> b : a means of access : channel <the route to social mobility — T. F. O'Dea>
2 : a line of travel : course
3 a : an established or selected course of travel or action b : an assigned territory to be systematically covered <a newspaper route>

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The opposite of a rout is a rally, in which a military unit that has been giving way and is on the verge of being routed suddenly gathers itself and turns back to the offensive.

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