a long, deep track made by the repeated passage of the wheels of vehicles

a stretch of road made impassable by ruts, holes, or waterlogging

a habit or pattern of behaviour that has become dull and unproductive but is hard to change

the administration was stuck in a rut and was losing its direction

we were ready to settle down into a comfortable middle-aged, middle-class rut

an annual period of sexual activity in deer and some other mammals, during which the males fight each other for access to the females

a moose in rut

(of a deer or other mammal) engage in the rut or annual period of sexual activity

researchers say the deer are rutting earlier

rutting stags