/ raʊz; NAmE / verb
1.
[ vn ] rouse sb (from sleep / bed) ( formal ) to wake sb up, especially when they are sleeping deeply :
The telephone roused me from my sleep at 6 a.m.
Nicky roused her with a gentle nudge.
2.
rouse sb / yourself (to sth) to make sb want to start doing sth when they were not active or interested in doing it :
[ vn ]
A lot of people were roused to action by the appeal.
[ vn to inf ]
Richard couldn't rouse himself to say anything in reply.
3.
[ vn ] ( formal ) to make sb feel a particular emotion :
to rouse sb's anger
What roused your suspicions (= what made you suspicious) ?
4.
[ vn ] [ usually passive ] to make sb angry, excited or full of emotion :
Chris is not easily roused.
—see also arouse
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WORD ORIGIN
late Middle English (originally as a hawking and hunting term): probably from Anglo-Norman French , of unknown ultimate origin.