Mechanical repetition (4)
I believe the answer is:
rote
'mechanical repetition' is the definition.
(I've seen this before)
This is all the clue.
(Other definitions for rote that I've seen before include "By . . . . means by memory - that tore it" , "Way of learning" , "Mechanical procedure" , "Unthinking repetition" , "Learn by . . . . to have off by heart" .)