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v. roused, rous·ing, rous·es v.tr. 1. To wake (someone) up. 2. To cause (someone) to be active, attentive, or excited; stir up. See Synonyms at provoke. 3. To give rise to; bring about: an ad that roused my curiosity; a book that roused a furor. v.intr. 1. To awaken. 2. To become active, attentive, or excited. [Middle English rousen, to shake the feathers: used of a hawk, perhaps from Old French reuser, ruser, to repel, push back, from Vulgar Latin *recūsāre, from Latin, to refuse; see RECUSE.] rouser n. |
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