rousing

[ rou-zing ]

/ ˈraʊ zɪŋ /

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adjective

exciting; stirring: a rousing song.

active or vigorous: a rousing campaign.

brisk; lively: a rousing business.

exceptional; extraordinary: a rousing lie.

Nearby words

rous sarcoma virus, rous-associated virus, rouse, rouseabout, rouser, rousing, rousseau, rousseau, jean-jacques, rousseauism, roussel, roussillon

Origin of rousing

First recorded in 1635–45; rouse¹ + -ing²

Related forms

rous·ing·ly, adverbnon·rous·ing, adjectiveun·rous·ing, adjective

Definition for rousing (2 of 2)

rouse

[ rouz ]

/ raʊz /

verb (used with object), roused, rous·ing.

to bring out of a state of sleep, unconsciousness, inactivity, fancied security, apathy, depression, etc.: He was roused to action by courageous words.

to stir or incite to strong indignation or anger.

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

Nautical. to pull by main strength; haul.

verb (used without object), roused, rous·ing.

to come out of a state of sleep, unconsciousness, inactivity, apathy, depression, etc.

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

noun

a rousing.

a signal for rousing; reveille.

Origin of rouse

1480–90 in sense “(of a hawk) to shake the feathers”; 1525–35 for def 3; origin uncertain

SYNONYMS FOR rouse

1 arouse, stir, excite, animate, stimulate, awaken, kindle, inflame, fire.

2 provoke, anger.

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ANTONYMS FOR rouse

1, 2 lull, calm, pacify.

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Related forms

rous·ed·ness

[rou-zid-nis] /ˈraʊ zɪd nɪs/, nounrous·er, nounun·roused, adjective

Synonym study

1, 2. See incite.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for rousing

Because it is not the rousing King we expect, we are disappointed.
Martin Luther King’s Nobel Speech Is an Often Ignored Masterpiece|Malcolm Jones|October 16, 2014|DAILY BEAST
After “Who Gon Stop Me,” the two join each other onstage for a rousing rendition of “Otis,” the Otis Redding-sampling rap ballad.
Jay Z and Kanye West Deliver the Mother of All Performances at SXSW|Marlow Stern|March 13, 2014|DAILY BEAST
This is met by a rousing round of applause and knowing nods.
Backstage at the Razzie Awards, Honoring Hollywood’s Worst Films|David Eckstein|March 2, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The rousing response to that from fans in attendance: who friggin cares?
Britney Spears’s Vegas Show Is a Big Fat Hit, Obviously|Kevin Fallon|December 28, 2013|DAILY BEAST

That joke in particular, got a rousing response from the audience.
Yes, 'Saturday Night Live' Predicted the Obamacare Failure|Kevin Fallon|November 1, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Why did he insist on rousing me when I was there alone, quite peaceful, forgetting everything, sunk in a placid indulgent calm!
The Torrent|Vicente Blasco Ibaez
The play went on, and Kathleen, rousing with a start out of her languid mood, watched it with eager eyes.
Kathleen's Diamonds|Mrs. Alex. McVeigh Miller
But, rousing himself at length, he rose and scanned the river for signs of his late escort.
Samba|Herbert Strang
When the engine-room staff heard that our pursuers had given up the chase they greeted the news with three rousing cheers.
Gun running for Casement in the Easter rebellion, 1916|Karl Spindler
Finally, for the work of enlightening and rousing France to insurrection, only a sum of 100,000 francs was allowed.
History of the Commune of 1871|P. Lissagary

British Dictionary definitions for rousing (1 of 3)

rousing

/ (ˈraʊzɪŋ) /

adjective

tending to rouse or excite; lively, brisk, or vigorousa rousing chorus

Derived Forms

rousingly, adverb

British Dictionary definitions for rousing (2 of 3)

rouse

/ (raʊz) /

verb

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

(tr) to provoke, stir, or exciteto rouse someone's anger

rouse oneself to become active or energetic

hunting to start or cause to start from coverto rouse game birds

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

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

noun

mainly US another term for reveille

Derived Forms

rousedness (ˈraʊzɪdnɪs), noun

Word Origin for rouse

C15 (in sense 5): origin obscure

British Dictionary definitions for rousing (3 of 3)

rouse

/ (raʊz) /

noun archaic

an alcoholic drink, esp a full measure

another word for carousal

Word Origin for rouse

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

rousing

adjective

RELATED WORDS

Nearby words

Origin of rousing

Related forms

Definition for rousing (2 of 2)

rouse

verb (used with object), roused, rous·ing.

verb (used without object), roused, rous·ing.

noun

Origin of rouse

SYNONYMS FOR rouse

ANTONYMS FOR rouse

Related forms

Synonym study

Examples from the Web for rousing

British Dictionary definitions for rousing (1 of 3)

rousing

adjective

Derived Forms

British Dictionary definitions for rousing (2 of 3)

rouse

verb

noun

Derived Forms

Word Origin for rouse

British Dictionary definitions for rousing (3 of 3)

rouse

noun archaic

Word Origin for rouse