|
|
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
Carpal Tunnel
|
OP
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858 |
It was many years before I learned that Somerset Maugham was a physician.And many more before I learned that he was
allegedly not "straight". I thought it worth re-reading this to see if I can find any interesting words in it.
"rout"
"IT was a week later. Philip was sitting on the floor in the drawing-room at Miss Watkin's house in Onslow gardens. He was an only child and used to amusing himself. The room was filled with massive furniture, and on each of the sofas were three big cushions. There was a cushion too in each arm-chair. All these he had taken and, with the help of the gilt rout chairs, light and easy to move, had made an elaborate cave in which he could hide himself from the Red Indians who were lurking behind the curtains. He put his ear to the floor and listened to the herd of buffaloes that raced across the prairie. Presently, hearing the door open, he held his breath so that he might not be discovered; but a violent hand piled away a chair and the cushions fell down."
I can't find any of the definition below that seems to fit.
I suppose "wicker" might be close.
\Rout\ (rout), v. i. [AS. hr[=u]tan.]
To roar; to bellow; to snort; to snore loudly. [Obs. or
Scot.] --Chaucer.
\Rout\, n.
A bellowing; a shouting; noise; clamor; uproar; disturbance;
tumult. --Shak.
This new book the whole world makes such a rout about.
--Sterne.
``My child, it is not well,'' I said, ``Among the
graves to shout; To laugh and play among the dead, And
make this noisy rout.'' --Trench.
\Rout\, v. t. [A variant of root.]
To scoop out with a gouge or other tool; to furrow.
{To rout out}
(a) To turn up to view, as if by rooting; to discover; to
find.
(b) To turn out by force or compulsion; as, to rout people
out of bed. [Colloq.]
\Rout\, v. i.
To search or root in the ground, as a swine. --Edwards.
\Rout\, n. [OF. route, LL. rupta, properly, a breaking, fr.
L. ruptus, p. p. of rumpere to break. See {Rupture}, {reave},
and cf. {Rote} repetition of forms, {Route}. In some senses
this word has been confused with rout a bellowing, an
uproar.] [Formerly spelled also {route}.]
1. A troop; a throng; a company; an assembly; especially, a
traveling company or throng. [Obs.] ``A route of ratones
[rats].'' --Piers Plowman. ``A great solemn route.''
--Chaucer.
And ever he rode the hinderest of the route.
--Chaucer.
A rout of people there assembled were. --Spenser.
2. A disorderly and tumultuous crowd; a mob; hence, the
rabble; the herd of common people.
the endless routs of wretched thralls. --Spenser.
The ringleader and head of all this rout. --Shak.
Nor do I name of men the common rout. --Milton.
3. The state of being disorganized and thrown into confusion;
-- said especially of an army defeated, broken in pieces,
and put to flight in disorder or panic; also, the act of
defeating and breaking up an army; as, the rout of the
enemy was complete.
thy army . . . Dispersed in rout, betook them all to
fly. --Daniel.
To these giad conquest, murderous rout to those.
--pope.
4. (Law) A disturbance of the peace by persons assembled
together with intent to do a thing which, if executed,
would make them rioters, and actually making a motion
toward the executing thereof. --Wharton.
5. A fashionable assembly, or large evening party. ``At routs
and dances.'' --Landor.
{To put to rout}, to defeat and throw into confusion; to
overthrow and put to flight.
\Rout\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Routed}; p. pr. & vb. n.
{Routing}.]
To break the ranks of, as troops, and put them to flight in
disorder; to put to rout.
That party . . . that charged the Scots, so totally
routed and defeated their whole army, that they fied.
--Clarendon.
Syn: To defeat; discomfit; overpower; overthrow.
\Rout\, v. i.
To assemble in a crowd, whether orderly or disorderly; to
collect in company. [obs.] --Bacon.
In all that land no Christian[s] durste route.
--Chaucer.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 1,004
old hand
|
|
old hand
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 1,004 |
Dear Doc
I suspect rout chairs will have sprung from the practice of having rout parties - Regency period parties (since I've read of them in those books), about which I know no more. But it seems to me likely that at such affairs, they might use a number of chairs which would, over time, seem specialised for that use and acquire the name.
I've done a little looking on this interweb thingy, but can't find any definitions of further pointers, I'm afraid. Anybody else?
cheer
the susnhine warrior
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 180
member
|
|
member
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 180 |
Hi Did a little searching for gilt rout chairs and found the following: Corridor Stool:
A long stool or bench with raised ends, made in mahogany from circa 1800, always without upholstery. Also known as a Rout Stool.http://www.designfusion-intl.com/DesignDirectory/antiquestyleglossary.htm……………… From Victorian London - Publications - Social Investigation/Journalism - Life in the London Streets, by Richard Rowe, 1881 - Chapter 14 - Plebeian Flower Shows [-200-] XIV. “Meanwhile, strolling or reclining on the [-205-] grass, and seated on very dusky rout-seats and rush-bottomed chairs beneath the welcome shadow of the trees…”http://www.victorianlondon.org/publications/lifein-14.htm…………………… In a book entitled, "One Doubtful Hour" written in 1904, there are several references to “rout-seats”: examples: "Effie stood upright by a rout-seat--not daring to sit down, lest she should be passed over by the young men in scarlet mess-jackets who were eagerly booking partners."
"...standing up by the rout-seats which lined the room..."http://www.indiana.edu/~letrs/vwwp/dixon/onedoubt.htmlHope that helps a little.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
Carpal Tunnel
|
|
OP
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858 |
At the school for potential divinity students, a new master is resented though a graduate of the school, because his father was a tradesman,chapel, and not a gentleman. So even though the had been the most brilliant student ever to attend the school, his appointment to head it is bitterly resented. Among his faults is "enthusiasm".
"Enthusiasm was ill-bred. Enthusiasm was ungentlemanly. They thought of the Salvation Army with its braying trumpets and its drums. Enthusiasm meant change. They had goose-flesh when they thought of all the pleasant old habits which stood in imminent danger. They hardly dared to look forward to the future."
I suspect the now probably obsolete epithet "bounder" has a
similar origin.
|
|
|
|
Forums16
Topics13,913
Posts229,316
Members9,182
| |
Most Online3,341
Dec 9th, 2011
|
|
|
0 members (),
354
guests, and
3
robots. |
|
Key:
Admin,
Global Mod,
Mod
|
|
|
|
