From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:
Rouse \Rouse\, verb (used with an object) [imp. & p. p. {Roused} (rouzd); p. pr. & vb. n. {Rousing}.] [Probably of Scan. origin; cf. Sw. rusa to rush, Dan. ruse, AS. hre['o]san to fall, rush. Cf. {Rush}, v.]
1. To cause to start from a covert or lurking place; as, to rouse a deer or other animal of the chase.
Like wild boars late roused out of the brakes. --Spenser.
Rouse the fleet hart, and cheer the opening hound. --Pope.
2. To wake from sleep or repose; as, to rouse one early or suddenly.
3. To excite to lively thought or action from a state of idleness, languor, stupidity, or indifference; as, to rouse the faculties, passions, or emotions.
To rouse up a people, the most phlegmatic of any in Christendom. --Atterbury.
4. To put in motion; to stir up; to agitate.
Blustering winds, which all night long Had roused the sea. --Milton.
5. To raise; to make erect. [Obs.] --Spenser. Shak.
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:
1. Having power to awaken or excite; exciting.
I begin to feel Some rousing motions in me. --Milton.
2. Very great; violent; astounding; as, a rousing fire; a rousing lie. [Colloq.]
From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:
adjective
1: capable of arousing enthusiasm or excitement; "a rousing sermon"; "stirring events such as wars and rescues" [syn: {stirring}]
2: rousing to activity or heightened action as by spurring or goading; "tossed a rousing political comment into the conversation"
noun
1: the act of arousing; "the purpose of art is the arousal of emotions" [syn: {arousal}]
From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:
74 Moby Thesaurus words for "rousing": activating, alert, alluring, animate, animated, animating, animative, arousal, awakening, awful, bracing, bright, brisk, challenging, cheering, cordial, crisp, crispy, dashing, deadly, dreadful, electrifying, encouraging, energetic, energizing, enlivening, enthusiastic, exciting, exhilarating, exhilarative, fearful, fervent, fresh, frightful, galvanic, galvanizing, gay, horrible, howling, inspiring, inspiriting, intoxicating, invigorating, invigorative, inviting, keen, lively, peppy, piquant, prompting, provocative, provoking, quickening, refreshful, refreshing, regaling, reveille, rude awakening, spirited, sprightly, stimulant, stimulating, stimulative, stirring, terrible, terrific, thumping, tonic, viable, vigorous, vitalizing, whacking, zestful, zesty
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