rouse
/raʊz/verb★Intermediate
general
to wake someone from sleep
The alarm clock roused him at 6 AM.
The alarm clock woke him up at 6 AM.
💡
Often used when someone is woken abruptly or with difficulty.
general
to stir someone to action or emotion
Her speech roused the crowd to protest.
Her speech motivated the crowd to protest.
💡
Can imply awakening someone's emotions or passions.
Collocations
rouse from sleepto wake someone up from sleepingrouse to actionto motivate someone to do something
Synonyms
Antonyms
Related Phrases
rouse the troopsphrase
to motivate a group to take action
💡Pro Tip
Literal vs. Figurative Use
Remember that 'rouse' can mean both waking someone up and stirring them to action.
⚡Gold Rule
Context Matters
The meaning depends on whether it's used in a literal (sleep) or figurative (motivation) context.
📖Word Origin
From Middle English 'rousen', from Old French 'resouscir', from Latin 'resuscitare' (to revive).
📝Usage Notes
Can be used both literally (waking someone up) and figuratively (motivating someone).
Word Breakdown
rouse
to wake or stir
rootEnglish Dictionary