Word
rouse
US/ˈɹaʊs/
UK/ɹˈaʊz/
Definitions
01to wake someone
v. to wake someone up from a deep sleep.
v. to awaken someone from sleep, typically through a deliberate action.
“The loud ringing of the telephone finally managed to rouse him from his sleep.”
“The nurse attempted to rouse the patient after the procedure, but the sedative was still taking full effect.”
Antonyms
02to stir to action
v. to make someone feel excited or angry enough to start doing something.
v. to excite or provoke a person or group into a state of activity, interest, or anger.
“The leader's powerful speech was designed to rouse the crowd to action.”
“The editorial was intended to rouse the public from their apathy regarding the upcoming local elections.”
Formal
03to criticize
v. to tell someone off or criticize them for doing something wrong.
v. to reprimand or criticize someone severely.
“The boss is going to rouse on us if we don't finish this report by five.”
“He knew his father would rouse on him for returning the car with an empty petrol tank.”
Slang · Dialect
Usage
Commonly used in Australian and New Zealand English, often followed by 'on'.
Teaching tip
This sense is highly regional; outside of Australia and New Zealand, it may not be understood.
Antonyms
04military signal
n. a bugle call played in the morning to tell soldiers to get out of bed.
n. a bugle call sounded after reveille to signal that soldiers are to rise from their beds.
“The soldiers stood at attention as the rouse echoed through the barracks.”
“In many Commonwealth traditions, the rouse is played during Remembrance Day services to symbolize the resurrection of the fallen.”
British English
Synonyms
Antonyms
Real-World Examples
“The girl was roused by the animal’s presence and hid under her blankets.” Etymology
From Middle English rousen, from Anglo-Norman reuser, ruser, originally used in English of hawks shaking the feathers of the body, from Latin recūsō, by loss of the medial 'c.' Doublet of recuse. Figurative meaning “to stir up, provoke to activity” is from 1580s; that of “awaken” is first recorded 1590s.
First attested in the late 16th Century. From carouse, from rebracketing of the phrase “drink carouse” as “drink a rouse”.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
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