Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary · 1913

Rote

Rote , noun

A root. [Obsolete] — Chaucer

Rote , noun

[Old English rote, probably of German origin; compare Middle High German rotte, Old High German rota, hrota, Late Latin chrotta. Compare Crowd a kind of violin.]

(Music) 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.
Well could he sing and play on a rote. — Chaucer
extracting mistuned dirges from their harps, crowds, and rotes. — Sir W. Scott

Rote , noun

[Compare Rut roaring.]

The noise produced by the surf of the sea dashing upon the shore. See Rut.

Rote , noun

[Old French rote, French route, road, path. See Route, and compare 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
till he the first verse could [i. e., knew] all by rote. — Chaucer
Thy love did read by rote, and could not spell. — Shakespeare

Rote , transitive verb

To learn or repeat by rote. [Obsolete] — Shakespeare

Rote , intransitive verb

To go out by rotation or succession; to rotate. [Obsolete] — Z. Grey