Definition of "rouse"
rouse1
verb
third-person singular simple present rouses, present participle rousing, simple past and past participle roused
To wake (someone) or be awoken from sleep, or from apathy.
Quotations
Good things of day begin to droop and drowse;Night’s black agents to their preys do rouse.
c. 1606 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Macbeth”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, [Act III, scene ii]
As for the heat, with which he treated his other adversaries, ’twas sometimes strain’d a little too far, but in the general was extremely well fitted by the Providence of God to rowse up a people, the most phlegmatic of any in Christendome.
1687, Francis Atterbury, An Answer to Some Considerations on the Spirit of Martin Luther, Oxford, pages 41–42
To cause, stir up, excite (a feeling, thought, etc.).
Quotations
‘You may think it all very fine, Mr. Huntingdon, to amuse yourself with rousing my jealousy; but take care you don’t rouse my hate instead. And when you have once extinguished my love, you will find it no easy matter to kindle it again.’
1848, Anne Brontë, chapter 27, in The Tenant of Wildfell Hall, London: John Murray, published 1900
[…] he had grown to look upon houses as things that concerned other people, like churches, butchers’ stalls, cricket matches and football matches. They had ceased to rouse ambition or misery. He had lost the vision of the house.
1961, V. S. Naipaul, A House for Mr Biswas, Penguin, published 1992, Part Two, Chapter 5, p. 494
To provoke (someone) to action or anger.
Quotations
He scarce had finisht, when such murmur filldTh’ Assembly, as when hollow Rocks retainThe sound of blustring winds, which all night longHad rous’d the Sea […]
1667, John Milton, “Book II”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], […]; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, lines 284-287
“A surgeon!” said Anne.He caught the word; it seemed to rouse him at once, and saying only—“True, true, a surgeon this instant,” was darting away, when Anne eagerly suggested—“Captain Benwick, would not it be better for Captain Benwick? […] ”
1817 (date written), [Jane Austen], Persuasion; published in Northanger Abbey: And Persuasion. […], volumes (please specify |volume=III or IV), London: John Murray, […], 20 December 1817 (indicated as 1818)
He tried to argue with her. But it was like trying to argue with a tree: she did not even rouse herself to deny, she just listened quietly and then talked again in that level, cold tone as if he had never spoken.
1932, William Faulkner, chapter 12, in Light in August, [New York, N.Y.]: Harrison Smith & Robert Haas; republished London: Chatto & Windus, 1933, page 254
To cause to start from a covert or lurking place.
Quotations
The Youth rush eager to the Sylvan War;Swarm o’er the Lawns, the Forest Walks surround,Rowze the fleet Hart, and chear the opening Hound.
1713, Alexander Pope, “Windsor-Forest. […]”, in The Works of Mr. Alexander Pope, volume I, London: […] W[illiam] Bowyer, for Bernard Lintot, […], published 1717, page 7
(obsolete) To raise; to make erect.
Quotations
And ouer, all with brasen scales was armd,Like plated cote of steele, so couched neare,That nought mote perce, ne might his corse bee harmdWith dint of swerd, nor push of pointed speare,Which as an Eagle, seeing pray appeare,His aery plumes doth rouze, full rudely dight,So shaked he, that horror was to heare,For as the clashing of an Armor bright,Such noyse his rouzed scales did send vnto the knight.
1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book I, Canto XI”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, page 157
He that outlives this day, and comes safe home,Will stand a tip-toe when the day is named,And rouse him at the name of Crispian.
1599, William Shakespeare, “The Life of Henry the Fift”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, [Act IV, scene iii]
rouse2
noun
plural rouses
An official ceremony over drinks.
Quotations
No jocund health that Denmark drinks to-dayBut the great cannon to the clouds shall tell,And the King’s rouse the heaven shall bruit again,Respeaking earthly thunder.
c. 1599–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, [Act I, scene ii]