rouse

1
[ rouz ]
See synonyms for: rouserousedrousing on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object),roused, rous·ing.
  1. to bring out of a state of sleep, unconsciousness, inactivity, fancied security, apathy, depression, etc.: He was roused to action by courageous words.

  2. to stir or incite to strong indignation or anger.

  1. to cause (game) to start from a covert or lair.

  2. Nautical Now Rare. to pull by main strength; haul.

verb (used without object),roused, rous·ing.
  1. to come out of a state of sleep, unconsciousness, inactivity, apathy, depression, etc.

  2. to start up from a covert or lair, as game.

noun
  1. a rousing.

  2. a signal for rousing; reveille.

Origin of rouse

1
First recorded in 1425–75 in sense “(of a hawk) to shake the feathers”; 1525–35 for def. 3; origin uncertain

synonym study For rouse

1, 2. See incite.

Other words for rouse

Opposites for rouse

Other words from rouse

  • rous·ed·ness [rou-zid-nis], /ˈraʊ zɪd nɪs/, noun
  • rouser, noun
  • un·roused, adjective

Words Nearby rouse

Other definitions for rouse (2 of 2)

rouse2
[ rouz ]

noun
  1. Archaic. a carouse.

  2. Obsolete. a bumper of liquor.

Origin of rouse

2
First recorded in 1590–1600; perhaps variant of carouse (drink carouse being wrongly analyzed as drink a rouse)

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use rouse in a sentence

  • A world away, Kristen rouse was finishing up a tour in Afghanistan as an Army officer.

  • Let us go up to Juda, and rouse it up, and draw it away to us, and make the son of Tabeel king in the midst thereof.

  • Mr. Mayne thought they should rouse the household at the first reputable looking dwelling they found.

    The Red Year | Louis Tracy
  • They sent agents into the most degraded quarters of the city to rouse and direct the mob.

  • It will only rouse him up, and make him swear at normal graduates in general, and this one in particular.

    The Cromptons | Mary J. Holmes
  • Nothing could rouse him out of his tame civility, which had been taken more than once for obsequiousness.

    Elster's Folly | Mrs. Henry Wood

British Dictionary definitions for rouse (1 of 2)

rouse1

/ (raʊz) /


verb
  1. to bring (oneself or another person) out of sleep, unconsciousness, etc, or (of a person) to come to consciousness in this way

  2. (tr) to provoke, stir, or excite: to rouse someone's anger

  1. rouse oneself to become active or energetic

  2. hunting to start or cause to start from cover: to rouse game birds

  3. (intr) falconry (of hawks) to ruffle the feathers and cause them to stand briefly on end (a sign of contentment)

  4. (raʊs) (intr foll by on) Australian to speak scoldingly or rebukingly (to)

noun
  1. mainly US another term for reveille

Origin of rouse

1
C15 (in sense 5): origin obscure

Derived forms of rouse

  • rousedness (ˈraʊzɪdnɪs), noun

British Dictionary definitions for rouse (2 of 2)

rouse2

/ (raʊz) /


nounarchaic
  1. an alcoholic drink, esp a full measure

  2. another word for carousal

Origin of rouse

2
C17: probably a variant of carouse (as in the phrase drink a rouse, erroneous for drink carouse); compare Danish drikke en rus to become drunk, German Rausch drunkenness

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012