Hey (again), I encountered another confusing word when I'm trying to use the word "rout" ( to completely defeat someone in a battle, competition, or election) in the form of -ing, meaning "routing". However, the dictionary thinks "routing" = the word "route". Is there no such word as "rout" with -ing? It is a verb, so it makes no sense if there isn't such word. Please clarify if you can, thanks! Terr
It's a word. You can find in on Merriam-Webster online and Wiktionary, it's just a word with multiple meanings and others are more common than the one you're using.
I feel like there may be some noun/verb confusion here? If you're using "rout" as a noun (totally validly) I'm not sure it makes sense to add -ing in order to make it... another noun, which I think would mean exactly the same thing? I think "routing" would be the verb. Is that how you're planning to use it? The soldiers were busy routing the enemy off the field. [but of course, the word is spelled exactly the same as the present participle of "route", which is a more familiar word, so most people would probably read it with that pronunciation/meaning). The battle was a rout. (not a routing).
Okay, so when you say "The soldiers were busy routing the enemy off the field." I picture guys with flags giving directions on the proper pathways for a route.
That's what I thought would happen. It's the more common word, so I think it's the one people's brains will jump to.
Ok sounds like I best not to use the word "routing" as it may be confused with the word route, which isn't what I intend to mean. Btw, the word "rout" can be a noun as well as a verb, so adding -ing to it seems reasonable if it's also a verb.
