rouse

¹

[ rouz ]

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.

   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, 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.

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. rouse oneself
   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. raʊs intrfoll byon 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

Derived Forms

• rousedness, noun

Other Words From

• rous·ed·ness [rou, -zid-nis], noun
• rouser noun
• un·roused 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 ¹fordef 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

When Georgette Darby has one of her bad days, she knows what will rouse her from her Hollywood apartment.

From Los Angeles Times

Mary Rouse thinks it’s frightening that her most recent license renewal could keep her behind the wheel until 2028.

From Los Angeles Times

I certainly do not miss the nonstop chaos of trying to put children to sleep at night and rouse them in the morning, and I especially do not miss the dreaded brushing of the hair.

From Los Angeles Times

So what are we to make of the fact that in this campaign Trump can barely rouse himself to leave his cushy surroundings at Mar-a-Lago and is more likely to be found on the golf course than giving a speech or holding a rally?

From Salon

And all Vance has to do is show up to rouse laughter.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

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