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Definition of rouse verb from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

rouse

verb
 
/raʊz/
 
/raʊz/
Verb Forms
present simple I / you / we / they rouse
 
/raʊz/
 
/raʊz/
he / she / it rouses
 
/ˈraʊzɪz/
 
/ˈraʊzɪz/
past simple roused
 
/raʊzd/
 
/raʊzd/
past participle roused
 
/raʊzd/
 
/raʊzd/
-ing form rousing
 
/ˈraʊzɪŋ/
 
/ˈraʊzɪŋ/
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  1. (formal) to wake somebody up, especially when they are sleeping deeply
    • rouse somebody from sleep/bed The telephone roused me from my sleep at 6  a.m.
    • He came to the door, evidently just roused from his bed.
    • rouse somebody Nicky roused her with a gentle nudge.
    Homophones rouse | rowsrouse   rows
     
    /raʊz/
     
    /raʊz/
    • rouse verb
      • We were unable to rouse him from his sleep.
    • rows noun (plural of row2)
      • They keep having rows over who does more work around the house.
    Extra Examples
    • I was roused from a deep sleep by a hand on my shoulder.
    • We tried in vain to rouse him.
  2. to make somebody want to start doing something when they were not active or interested in doing it
    • rouse somebody/yourself (to something) A lot of people were roused to action by the appeal.
    • rouse somebody/yourself to do something Richard couldn't rouse himself to say anything in reply.
    • rouse somebody from something We finally managed to rouse her from her lethargy.
  3. rouse something (formal) to make somebody feel a particular emotion
    • to rouse somebody’s anger
    • What roused your suspicions (= what made you suspicious)?
    • She ran forward, roused to anger.
    Topics Feelingsc2
  4. [usually passive] to make somebody angry, excited or full of emotion
    • be roused Chris is not easily roused.
    • When roused, he has a cruel tongue.
    Topics Feelingsc2
  5. see also arouse
    Word Originlate Middle English (originally as a hawking and hunting term): probably from Anglo-Norman French, of unknown ultimate origin.
See rouse in the Oxford Advanced American Dictionary
alloy
noun
 
 
From the Topic
Physics and chemistry
C2
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