rouse

¹

[rouz]

verb (used with object)

roused, rousing 

1. to bring out of a state of sleep, unconsciousness, inactivity, fancied security, apathy, depression, etc..

   He was roused to action by courageous words.

   Synonyms: inflame, kindle, awaken, stimulate, animate, excite, stir, arouse
   Antonyms: pacify, calm, lull

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

   Synonyms: anger, provoke

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

4. Nautical Now Rare.,  to pull by main strength; haul.

verb (used without object)

roused, rousing 

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.

rouse

²

[rouz]

noun

1. Archaic.,  a carouse.

2. Obsolete.,  a bumper of liquor.

rouse

¹

/ ˈraʊzɪdnɪs, 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

3. to become active or energetic

4. hunting to start or cause to start from cover

   to rouse game birds

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

6. to speak scoldingly or rebukingly (to)

noun

1. another term for reveille

rouse

²

/ raʊz /

noun

1. an alcoholic drink, esp a full measure

2. another word for carousal

Other Word Forms

• rousedness noun
• rouser noun
• unroused adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of rouse¹

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

Origin of rouse²

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of rouse¹

C15 (in sense 5): origin obscure

Origin of rouse²

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

Synonym Study

See incite.

Example Sentences

That roused her quicker than even the smelliest smelling salts could have, and she chased the twins ’round the room while screaming, “Mama! Mama!”

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She kicked the bottom of his boot to rouse him.

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Then she roused the children, gave each head of shining auburn hair a quick smoothing with a damp comb, and helped them put on their shoes.

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There is an overwhelming sense that Scotland's fate on Tuesday does not depend on what the handy Danes do, but what Clarke's team can conjure up and rouse from within themselves.

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Needless to say, the Scots will need to raise their level to have any hope of ending that 27-year hoodoo, so how does Clarke rouse his team for a seismic camp?

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Related Words

• agitate 
• arouse 
• awaken 
• disturb 
• fire up 
• galvanize 
• heighten 
• incite 
• inflame 
• kindle 
• provoke 
• rile 
• startle 
• stir 
• trigger 
• wake up 
• whip up 
• work up