The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Rote \Rote\, n.
   A root. [Obs.] --Chaucer.
   [1913 Webster]

The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Rote \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]

The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

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

The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Rote \Rote\, 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]

The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

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

The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

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

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

rote
    n 1: memorization by repetition [syn: rote, rote learning]