rouse Meaning, Definition & Usage

verb become active
bestir.
- He finally bestirred himself
verb force or drive out
force out; rout out; drive out.
- The police routed them out of bed at 2 A.M.
verb cause to be agitated, excited, or roused
commove; turn on; excite; charge up; agitate; charge.
- The speaker charged up the crowd with his inflammatory remarks
verb cause to become awake or conscious
awaken; waken; arouse; wake; wake up.
- He was roused by the drunken men in the street
- Please wake me at 6 AM.

Perhaps the same word as rouse to start up, "buckle to."

(Naut.) To pull or haul strongly and all together, as upon a rope, without the assistance of mechanical appliances.

Cf. D. roes drunkeness, icel. rss, Sw. rus, G. rauchen, and also E. rouse, v.t., rush, v.i. Cf. Row a disturbance.

A bumper in honor of a toast or health. Obs. Shak.
A carousal; a festival; a drinking frolic.
Fill the cup, and fill the can, Have a rouse before the morn. Tennyson.

Probably of Scan. origin; cf. Sw. rusa to rush, Dan. ruse, AS. hreósan to fall, rush. Cf. Rush, v.

imperfect & past participle Roused present participle & verbal noun Rousing

To cause to start from a covert or lurking place; as, to rouse a deer or other animal of the chase.
Like wild boars late roused out of the brakes. Spenser.

Rouse the fleet hart, and cheer the opening hound. Pope.
To wake from sleep or repose; as, to rouse one early or suddenly.
To excite to lively thought or action from a state of idleness, languor, stupidity, or indifference; as, to rouse the faculties, passions, or emotions.
To rouse up a people, the most phlegmatic of any in Christendom. Atterbury.
To put in motion; to stir up; to agitate.
Blustering winds, which all night long Had roused the sea. Milton.
To raise; to make erect. Obs. Spenser. Shak.

To get or start up; to rise. Obs.
Night's black agents to their preys do rouse. Shak.
To awake from sleep or repose.
Morpheus rouses from his bed. Pope.
To be exited to thought or action from a state of indolence or inattention.