rouse 1
— rousedness /row"zid nis/ , n. — rouser , n.
/rowz/ , v. , roused, rousing , n.
v.t.
1. to bring out of a state of sleep, unconsciousness, inactivity, fancied security, apathy, depression, etc.: He was roused to action by courageous words.
2. to stir or incite to strong indignation or anger.
3. to cause (game) to start from a covert or lair.
4. Naut. to pull by main strength; haul.
v.i.
5. to come out of a state of sleep, unconsciousness, inactivity, apathy, depression, etc.
6. to start up from a covert or lair, as game.
n.
7. a rousing.
8. a signal for rousing; reveille.
[ 1480-90 in sense "(of a hawk) to shake the feathers"; 1525-35 for def. 3; orig. uncert. ]
Syn. 1. arouse, stir, excite, animate, stimulate, awaken, kindle, inflame, fire. 1, 2 . See incite. 2. provoke, anger.
Ant. 1, 2. lull, calm, pacify.
rouse 2
/rowz/ , n.
1. Archaic. a carouse.
2. Obs. a bumper of liquor.
[ 1595-1605; perh. var. of CAROUSE ( drink carouse being wrongly analyzed as drink a rouse ) ]