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

From the first time they see the band on TV to a rousing dance in the shadow of Edinburgh Castle, the lives, loves and emotions of the women are governed by the Rollers.

From BBC

She will play more tournaments, but last weekend was the end of Thompson’s full-time career and she deserved a more rousing send off.

From BBC

By the time she returned for a second visit, the zoo had implemented a five-minute limit for spectators, after some were caught tossing water and shells to try and rouse Moo Deng.

From Los Angeles Times

He’s most widely known for his experimental choreography, and the exhibition’s curators are smart to start off with this rousing, engulfing example of it.

From New York Times

The techno boys are having a rousing good time.

From Salon

Related Words

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